The Rivers State Police Command has arrested one Michael Charles alias Thankgod Ekwueme for allegedly selling his three children.
This follows the Command’s busting of a child trafficking ring operating in the state.
Parading the suspects within the Old GRA Police Station, Head Office of the CP Monitoring Unit, who were responsible for the breakthrough, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, said they arrested a number of suspects involved in the trading of minors in the state.
Charles, who is one of the suspects paraded and the father of the trafficked children admitted to selling them, blaming his action on poverty and an inability to fend for the children.
Others involved in the racket include a medical practitioner and a former Councillor.
Speaking on behalf of the mother of the traded kids who is deaf and dumb, the mother Janet Igwe from Umudiogo, Emohua Local Government Area of the state, said her son-in-law has been selling the children borne by her daughter while telling her the children died at birth.
The statement by the police said, “Operatives attached to the CP Monitoring Unit on Saturday, July 8, 2023, at about 5.00pm, based on the revelation of two suspects earlier arrested in a case of child trafficking, extended the investigation to Omudiaga in Emohua LGA of Rivers State and Ogbaku in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State where they arrested the duo of Ndubuisi Egbueri ‘M, and Ndubuisi Wosa ‘M,’ at Omudiaga, and one Chioma Anele ‘F at Ogbaku. Both Ndubuisi Egbueri and Ndubuisi Wosa confessed to receiving one of the baby , which they later handed over to Hon. Regina Aki ‘F at Rukpokwu in Port Harcourt. Hon. Regina Aki was also arrested and admitted to contacting one Favour Amaewhule ‘F at Aluu, where the baby was sold in the presence of Michael Charles, the father of the baby.
“Subsequently, Favour Amaewhule ‘F was arrested and admitted to buying the baby for the sum of N700,000.00, while N350,000.00 was paid to Michael Charles, the father of the baby, and N350,000.00 was paid to Hon. Regina Aki and partners.
“However, the baby bought by Favour Amaewhule has been recovered, and the investigation is in top gear with a view to recovering the other babies received by Chioma Anele ‘F.’ Seven (7) suspects are currently in custody.”