Woman who dispossessed mother of newborn jailed for child trafficking
Federal High Court Convicts Woman on Child Trafficking Charges
CALABAR, Nigeria — The Federal High Court has convicted Mbika Edem, also known as Ikwo, on four counts related to conspiracy and child trafficking.
The charges, which violated Sections 13(2)(b), 21, and 27 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act of 2015, were brought forward by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
During the proceedings, the prosecution argued that Edem conspired with an unidentified nurse to deceive Mercy Ekanem into prematurely delivering her child. According to the prosecutor, Ekanem was coerced into early labor and, shortly after giving birth, was separated from her newborn.
The prosecutor added that Edem sold the infant to an undisclosed buyer and left Ekanem by the roadside with 200,000 naira.
Edem pleaded not guilty to the charges when she was arraigned on March 19, 2025, following her arrest. The trial commenced the same day.
In a ruling delivered on Monday, Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie found Edem guilty on all counts. She imposed a two-year prison sentence for the first count, allowing for a 2 million naira fine as an alternative.
For counts two, three, and four, Edem received additional two-year sentences, with no option for fine. The sentences will run concurrently and take effect from the date of her arrest.
Moreover, the court ordered Edem to pay 500,000 naira in compensation to the victim. The 200,000 naira recovered from Ekanem will be forfeited to the Federal Government, according to Justice Oghoghorie’s ruling.
