The Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Police Command Monitoring Squad has arrested a midwife and the mother of the newborn baby following an intelligence report about a building in Rumuokwurusi town, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, allegedly used for selling newborn babies.
The Command boss, CP Olatunji Disu, directed the Commander of the Monitoring Squad, CSP Grace Wonwu, to investigate the baby sale gang.
Police sources revealed that on July 6, 2024, officers rescued a 17-year-old pregnant teenager, whose baby was allegedly to be sold upon delivery, as well as the mother of the sold newborn.
As soon as the midwife placed the newborn baby in Happiness Monday’s arms, she gazed into her baby’s eyes, taking in the tiny features and soft skin.
In an interview, the mother, Happiness Monday, revealed she was paid N400,000 for selling her baby. She attributed her decision to poverty and hunger, citing a lack of education, employment, and social support.
She explained, “I came from Akwa-Ibom to hustle in Port Harcourt. I was living on my own until a flood displaced me. I moved in with my boyfriend, but he asked me to get rid of the pregnancy. He later denied paternity and left for a job outside Port Harcourt, never to return. His mother told me she had not spoken to him for years and would not accept the pregnancy either.”
Monday continued, “When my rent expired, I took shelter in an uncompleted building. When I returned from an antenatal visit, the building was locked. I then asked the midwife for help finding someone to take my baby. She said she had a buyer who would pay N400,000.
After delivery, the baby was handed over to this person, whose face I never saw. I asked the nurse to ensure the buyer would care for the baby, and she assured me it was a Pastor’s wife.”
Monday used the N400,000 to rent an apartment, settle some debts, and saved the remaining N160,000 in the nurse’s account to start a business. She added that she had to send her three older children to their paternal grandmother because their father abandoned her for another woman.
The 31-year-old midwife, Success Igwe, stated this was her first involvement in the sale of a baby. She claimed to have sold the baby for N450,000, receiving only N50,000 for delivery charges and giving the rest to Happiness.
Regarding the pregnant teenager, Igwe said, “Her sister brought her to me on July 4, 2024, saying she needed to stay with me while attending a convention. When I asked if she was aware the girl was pregnant, she said yes. I gave her medicine for a fever, and I was arrested two days later.”
The teenager, identified as Margret Okonide from Akwa-Ibom, struggled with English and could not provide more information due to the language barrier.
