The police in Cross River State have arrested two suspected child traffickers in Oboho Ito community, Odukpani Local Government Area, over an alleged attempt to sell a one-month-old baby.
Security sources said the suspects were apprehended on March 2 after vigilant youths in the community intercepted them following a tip-off.
According to the source, the baby’s mother, Favour Effiong, reported that on March 1, one of the suspects, Happiness Etim Udoh, allegedly convinced her to bring the child under the pretext of receiving financial assistance for the baby’s upkeep.
Sensing foul play, the mother alerted her landlord, who in turn mobilised community youths to lay ambush for the suspect.
Udoh was subsequently arrested alongside an alleged accomplice, Ekpo Inyang, said to have no fixed address.
Preliminary police investigations reportedly revealed that the suspects had planned to snatch and sell the baby to a woman in Abuja.
During interrogation, they allegedly confessed to previously selling a child for N200,000 to a buyer in the Federal Capital Territory.
Sources further disclosed that arrangements had been made to hand over the one-month-old baby to a relative of one of the suspects in Abuja, who was allegedly pretending to be pregnant.
The baby was safely rescued and reunited with the mother.
Police authorities confirmed that investigations are ongoing and efforts are underway to track down other members of the suspected trafficking network.
They reiterated their commitment to combating child trafficking and safeguarding vulnerable children across the state.
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