By Chioma Onuegbu, Uyo

IN recent times child theft and the trading in children, especially babies, have become disturbingly prevalent in most states across the country, including Akwa Ibom State. Records in the last two years, according to the State Police Command and other law enforcement agencies, indicate that the crime is on the increase. However, the most shocking aspect of this heinous crime is the discovery that the biological mothers who are usually young and single, out of a desire for monetary gains, voluntarily sell their babies after putting to bed. This they successfully carry out by conspiring with some members of their immediate families – parents, aunties, cousins.

Unlike the ‘baby factories’ that operate illegal homes, some cases uncovered by the police in the state shows that these teenage girls stay at home, get pregnant and then look for ready buyers/ patrons immediately after putting to bed and in some cases the children are stolen by close family members who now sell them to unknown persons.

Recently, one Esther Joshua Johnny from Nsit Ibom Local Government Area was paraded at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID,Uyo and she actually admitted that she sold her three-day-old baby boy, David who is currently three months old, at a cost of N300, 000.00.

In an interview with Vanguard Metro, 18-year-old Esther who is a single mother, claimed that she sold the baby, her third child, so that she could cater for herself and her two other children. She, however, refused to disclose who collected her own share of N150, 000.00. “I sold my baby because I don’t have anybody to assist me take care of him and the other two children. I don’t know who the father is, so I decided to sell him. I take care of myself and sometimes men give me money to sleep with them and that is how I got pregnant. I sold him for N300.000.00 with my own share being N150, 000.00. But I was not the one that collected the money”.

Also the SCID arrested and paraded one Christiana Ezekiel for illegally selling one of the twin babies she delivered two months ago at the cost of N90, 000.00 . Similarly, on March 3, the State Police Command paraded a four- year-old boy, Bright Mbaka, who was stolen on February 17, 2015 by one Grace Uwem, Bright Mbaka mother’s cousin. He was sold for N55,000.00.

Briefing newsmen in his office, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, SCID, Mr. Mike Okoli, disclosed that the victims were recovered through intensified, proactive efforts and investigations. Okoli who decried the increasing incidence of child theft, trafficking and trading in the state, however, attributed the recorded breakthroughs in the recovery of the stolen and sold children to encouragement and supports in terms of provision of logistics by the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Gabriel Achong as well as useful information from concerned citizens of the state. But he also solicited for more cooperation from members of the public over the worrisome trend.

“You will recall that in my previous briefing last month, where we showcased people arrested in a case of child stealing, I did mention of one quack Dr. Innocent Ehiemere of Joanna Clinic Port Harcourt we detained over a case involving a three-day-old baby boy. The quack home, Joanna Clinic, according to investigation, is where they do illicit business of buying and selling of children.

“We also found out that the biological mother of one Esther Johnny actually sold the baby at the cost of N300, 000. During interrogation she swore to us that she will not sell her child again. She is yet to be married and having the kids at home. You can see the trend- you take in, you give birth and then sell”. Reacting, Uyo based lawyer, Mfon Peters, who described the trend as criminal and worrisome, however, attributed the increasing incidence in Akwa Ibom to high level of poverty and poor governance.

Peters said: “Poor governance contributes to high incidence of crimes. Developed societies anchor their programmes on people and not on infrastructure like roads and bridges. That is why we are preaching and advocating for good governance. If the human person is not properly developed, empowered and equipped, it is possible that the rate of these crimes will be very high

“We know that the State government in 2008 enacted the Child Rights Act and there are many laws in this country to promote the right of the child. But the problem is with the implementation. Government needs to enforce these laws. And I agree with the school of thought that poverty is one of the major sources of crime; so I suggest that proper empowerment, training of girl-child programmes should be put on ground to cushion the effect of poverty in Akwa Ibom.”

Contributing, a retired midwife, Mrs. Udeme Johnson, who blamed most parents for not taking care of their children lamented: “It is condemnable. Children are special gifts from God. There are so many women, families out there looking for children. So, if these young women know that they will not be able to cater for the child they should not even go into it in the first place. And there is no moral justification for the young girls and their conspirators to indulge in the wicked act.

“The society must discourage this because it has after effect, the consequence is always there. Even the Bible condemns it. I retired 15 years ago and I can assure you that this kind of thing was not there. Adoption of children was very rare because people were not giving birth to babies to sell them like we are hearing today. “The solution to this problem is for parents, especially mothers, to teach their young children to stay away from peer group pressure; they should instill the fear of God into them, to be contented with what they have. Most parents today are so materialistic that they neglect the welfare and upkeep of their children”

There is no gain saying the fact that the present administration of Governor Godswill Akpabio has put in place several efforts aimed at nipping the crime in the bud. Apart from the Child Rights Law enacted in 2008, Governor Akpabio had on July 27, 2014 pronounced death penalty on child abductors in the state under the Child Rights and Anti-Terrorism Act to ensure the protection of the life and rights of innocent and defenseless children.