Nurse, associate sell twins, 8-month baby for N.5m

“The Niger State’s Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Desire Nsirim, told newsmen
yesterday in Minna that the suspects were rounded up following a tipoff from
Suleja on September 9.“According to her, “The suspects, on interrogation,
confessed to committing the crime. 

As a matter of fact, Mr. Linus slept with one of them, who did not even know
she was pregnant until we found out. He had also promised all of them marriage
on different occasions and assured them that he would take responsibilities for
their upkeep. 

According to the Commissioner, one of the syndicate members, Linus, usually
travels to states in the eastern part of the country where he lures
unsuspecting young mothers and their babies to Abuja with promises of gainful
employment only to camp them with his partner, Martina, before selling their
babies at various sums of money.“In August, 2012, he deceived a 20- year- old
Oluchi Agachi and her eight-month old baby from Enugu to Abuja with a promise
of giving her a job, but her baby was later collected from her and sold to
Martina for N100,000.“Linus also lured Ngozi Nwani, a 22-year old and her twins
aged seven months from Abakiliki, Ebonyi State to Abuja.

Martina was alleged to have sold one of the twin baby girls to one Joy Opara, a
46-year- old in Abaji, Abuja for N400,000.“In a chat with the Nigerian Compass
on Saturday, Linus said he was only trying to help the ladies after much plea
from them.“He said: “I brought them to the woman (Martina) so they could
be assisted. They begged me to give the babies to someone that can help take
care of them and who would also pay them some money so that they can start
doing something with their lives. 

The woman who is a nurse promised to take care of the children and assured that
they would not be harmed or be allowed to be given to ritualists.”“He said
the woman promised to give the children the best in life until they grow
up.“Linus regretted that he did not, in any way, gain anything except for his
involvement in the deal. “Martina only promised to give me N20,000 for my
effort.”“He, however, denied sleeping with any of the ladies, saying,
“I did not sleep with any of them. I don’t know if someone else had access
to them as to have impregnated any of them. I know the family of one of the
ladies, but I don’t know the other one, thoguh I brought them from Enugu,”
he claimed.“Speaking with our correspondent, Ngozi Nwani, mother of the twins,
said she was coerced into the deal.“According to her, Linus went to her village
to meet her brother whom she was staying with in Abakaliki that he wanted to
marry her.

She added that he promised to get her a job in Abuja.“”After meeting with
my brother, I was allowed to come to Abuja to stay with his so-called sister.
Though I was not comfortable living there, I had to endure it because Linus had
promised to marry        me,”she said. 

“Speaking on how her twin baby was sold, Ngozi said the woman took one of the
babies to buy something and did not come back with her.

According to her, “When I asked about the whereabouts of my baby, she said
the baby had been taken to the hospital for treatment. I told her that my baby
was not sick and that I wanted her back. She said she had given my baby to
someone that would take care of her. But I told her we never had that
agreement.““I called my brother and told him what happened. It was when I
raised the alarm people came. I told them what happened and we were taken to
the police station, ” said Ngozi.

“The nurse declined to speak with our Correspondent.“The Commissioner of Police
while assuring that the victims and the babies would be taken to the National
Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons (NAPTIP) for further
investigation, said the syndicate members would be arraigned in court.“Mrs.
Nsirim, however, advised young women to be careful in accepting offers from
strangers to avoid any unpleasant incident.