Peace
Asugwo is a teenage mother whose grandmother, Antonia, felt had disgraced the
family by getting pregnant out of wedlock. An indigene of Agwa Village in Oguta
Local Government Area of Imo State, she was impregnated by her boyfriend, one
Johnson. Luckily for her, an Abuja-based driver, Mr. Kingsley Linus, was
willing to marry her; even though at 16 years, she already had a month-old baby
boy.
Asugwo is a teenage mother whose grandmother, Antonia, felt had disgraced the
family by getting pregnant out of wedlock. An indigene of Agwa Village in Oguta
Local Government Area of Imo State, she was impregnated by her boyfriend, one
Johnson. Luckily for her, an Abuja-based driver, Mr. Kingsley Linus, was
willing to marry her; even though at 16 years, she already had a month-old baby
boy.
Linus,
with the help of his sister, arranged and paid the dowry on Asugwo to her
grandmother. His young bride, happy that luck had smiled on her despite her
shortcomings, followed him to Abuja, eager to start a new life.
On
reaching Abuja, he lodged her in a hotel in Kubwa, claiming that he had lost
the keys to his house and would have to get someone to break the door in the
morning. A few days later, he introduced a nurse, Mrs. Martina Onwelikwe, to
Asugwo as his elder sister who would take care of the infant. Eager to please
her in-law, Asugwo promptly handed over the baby to her. The nurse left with
Linus who soon disappeared.
reaching Abuja, he lodged her in a hotel in Kubwa, claiming that he had lost
the keys to his house and would have to get someone to break the door in the
morning. A few days later, he introduced a nurse, Mrs. Martina Onwelikwe, to
Asugwo as his elder sister who would take care of the infant. Eager to please
her in-law, Asugwo promptly handed over the baby to her. The nurse left with
Linus who soon disappeared.
Unknown
to Asugwo, she has been conned by a syndicate headed by Linus and Onwelikwe.
Faced with the stark reality of her situation and nowhere to turn to for
succour in what was a strange land to her, she found her way to the National
Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and later to the National Agency for the
Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
to Asugwo, she has been conned by a syndicate headed by Linus and Onwelikwe.
Faced with the stark reality of her situation and nowhere to turn to for
succour in what was a strange land to her, she found her way to the National
Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and later to the National Agency for the
Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
NAPTIP
agents got cracking and their investigation paid off, as they were able to
recover the baby alongside four others from the syndicate and the couples who
they sold the children to. The syndicate has cells in Abuja, Enugu, Lagos and
Minna.
agents got cracking and their investigation paid off, as they were able to
recover the baby alongside four others from the syndicate and the couples who
they sold the children to. The syndicate has cells in Abuja, Enugu, Lagos and
Minna.
NAPTIP
Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Arinze Orakwue, told
reporters Tuesday in Abuja that the case was transferred to the agency by the
NHRC on August 31 for investigation.
Assistant Director, Press and Public Relations, Mr. Arinze Orakwue, told
reporters Tuesday in Abuja that the case was transferred to the agency by the
NHRC on August 31 for investigation.
He added
that on September 17, the Niger State Police Command also transferred to the
agency a case of criminal conspiracy, abduction and human trafficking involving
four suspects and three victims with four babies.
that on September 17, the Niger State Police Command also transferred to the
agency a case of criminal conspiracy, abduction and human trafficking involving
four suspects and three victims with four babies.
One of
the suspects led NAPTIP to Linus and investigations later revealed that he ran
the syndicate, which specialised in luring teenage mothers with the promise of
marriage to dispossess them of their babies. His partner in crime is Onwelikwe
who claims to be a nurse with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
the suspects led NAPTIP to Linus and investigations later revealed that he ran
the syndicate, which specialised in luring teenage mothers with the promise of
marriage to dispossess them of their babies. His partner in crime is Onwelikwe
who claims to be a nurse with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
Orakwue
added that some couples who bought babies from the syndicate were also in
custody of the agency, but they were shielded from the press as they had agreed
to be principal witnesses against members of the syndicate.
added that some couples who bought babies from the syndicate were also in
custody of the agency, but they were shielded from the press as they had agreed
to be principal witnesses against members of the syndicate.
He urged
parents to provide a support system for their children when they mistakenly get
pregnant so that they would not fall into the hands of criminals.
parents to provide a support system for their children when they mistakenly get
pregnant so that they would not fall into the hands of criminals.
According
to him, the agency with officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs have begun
to consider a review of adoption laws in the country to plug the loopholes
being exploited by criminals.
to him, the agency with officials of the Ministry of Women Affairs have begun
to consider a review of adoption laws in the country to plug the loopholes
being exploited by criminals.
Among
those arrested were one Miss Rebecca Auta who was found in Onwelikwe’s house,
Miss Oluchi Adache, Miss Ngozi Nwali and Miss Ijeoma Linus. All of them, except
for Auta, were unwedded teenage mothers who Linus had ‘married’ and were
dispossessed of their babies.
those arrested were one Miss Rebecca Auta who was found in Onwelikwe’s house,
Miss Oluchi Adache, Miss Ngozi Nwali and Miss Ijeoma Linus. All of them, except
for Auta, were unwedded teenage mothers who Linus had ‘married’ and were
dispossessed of their babies.
Two of
the couples, Mr. and Mrs Godwin Dike and Mr. and Mrs Thomas Anyanwu, had bought
babies from the syndicate at prices ranging from N400,000 to N500,000.
the couples, Mr. and Mrs Godwin Dike and Mr. and Mrs Thomas Anyanwu, had bought
babies from the syndicate at prices ranging from N400,000 to N500,000.
Speaking with THISDAY, Asugwo suspected her grandmother to be
part of the syndicate for her insistence that she must marry Linus even though
he came to ask for her hand in marriage without any relatives, save for a woman
who fronted for him as his sister.
“My parents are late, so my grandmother said I must marry him. When I called
her that Linus had run away with my baby, she said I should forget about the
baby and come back home. Also after they arrested Linus, he said he had sent
some money to my grandmother in the village,” she said.
part of the syndicate for her insistence that she must marry Linus even though
he came to ask for her hand in marriage without any relatives, save for a woman
who fronted for him as his sister.
“My parents are late, so my grandmother said I must marry him. When I called
her that Linus had run away with my baby, she said I should forget about the
baby and come back home. Also after they arrested Linus, he said he had sent
some money to my grandmother in the village,” she said.
While
Linus denied all the allegations, Onwelikwe admitted selling the babies, but
insisted that she sold them on humanitarian grounds to provide money for the
girls for their upkeep.
Linus denied all the allegations, Onwelikwe admitted selling the babies, but
insisted that she sold them on humanitarian grounds to provide money for the
girls for their upkeep.
Linus said he only met Asugwo crying by the roadside and took
her to a hotel in Kubwa where he left her to sort herself out.
He added that the only reason he is in the police net is that one Oluchi
claimed he took her baby.
her to a hotel in Kubwa where he left her to sort herself out.
He added that the only reason he is in the police net is that one Oluchi
claimed he took her baby.
Onwelikwe,
who said she has five children, added that she was introduced to the crime by
Linus after he pleaded with her to accommodate his sister after he had lost his
job. She claimed that she handed over all the proceeds of the crime to Linus.
who said she has five children, added that she was introduced to the crime by
Linus after he pleaded with her to accommodate his sister after he had lost his
job. She claimed that she handed over all the proceeds of the crime to Linus.
