Man, wife arrested over plot to sell 2 daughters for 700,000 each

Published:

By Ismail Auwal

Operatives of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Akwa Ibom State Command have arrested one Elisha Effiong for allegedly conniving with his wife to sell their two daughters aged 6 and 4 respectively.

Effiong, who lives in Cameroon with his wife was arrested in Uyo on November 15, 2021, through an intelligence report while trying to sell their children, identified as Abasifreke Edet and Rachael Edet.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the command’s Public Relations Officer, Umana Ukeme, the suspects said that their decision to want to sell the children was borne out of extreme hardship.

According to the statement, the suspect told a private security guard about his plans, and the guard informed the corps’ commandant, Mr Abidemi Majekodunmi, who immediately ordered the suspect’s arrest.

“The suspect, Elisha Edet Effiong, ‘M,’ was apprehended with his two children, Abasifreke Edet, 6, and Rachel Edet, 4, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, while attempting to sell them for M700,000.”

“Effiong, 40, was apprehended at FulCare Hospital on Ekpanya Street, where he informed the security guard that he intended to sell his two children to pay off his debt and meet other financial challenges.”

“The security guard notified the NSCDC, and immediately, Commandant Abidemi Majekodunmi detailed personnel from the corps’ anti-human trafficking unit, who swung into action and apprehended the suspect alongside his two daughters,” according to the statement.

According to Ukeme, preliminary investigations have been completed, and the case will be transferred to the NAPTIP zonal office in Uyo for the suspect’s prosecution.

While praising the private security guard for the prompt release of an intelligence report that assisted in the arrest of the suspect, the commandant condemned the heinous act, calling it a crime against humanity.

He urged the people of Akwa Ibom State to always provide timely and actionable intelligence that could lead to the arrest and tracking of criminal elements in the state.

Related articles

Recent articles

spot_img