NAPTIP arrests three over alleged sale of babies in Rivers
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) recently shut down an illegal maternity facility in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, following allegations concerning the sale of three infants tied to a suspected child trafficking operation.
The agency, in collaboration with the Rivers State Ministry of Health, executed the operation, resulting in the arrest of the facility’s owner, an alleged accomplice, and an additional staff member.
According to a statement from NAPTIP released on Thursday, the facility, which was situated in a residential apartment in the Elelenwo area of Port Harcourt, was purportedly used for the procurement, sale, and illegal transfer of children.
Preliminary investigations revealed that a woman from Liberia, who resides in Belgium, entered Nigeria without any documentation indicating pregnancy and allegedly took custody of the three infants in approximately one month.
Further inquiry suggested that around 13.5 million naira was exchanged in connection with the transfer of these children. NAPTIP officials from both Abuja and Rivers State conducted a coordinated raid on the facility, sealing the premises to safeguard evidence while investigations are ongoing.
The agency has initiated both forensic and documentary investigations to ascertain the identities, locations, and welfare of the children, as well as to determine their biological and legal parentage. Investigators are also tracing individuals involved in the procurement and transfer of the children, following financial trails and examining the potential involvement of medical personnel and other parties linked to the suspected trafficking network.
In response to this situation, NAPTIP Director-General Binta Adamu Bello expressed alarm over reports of foreign nationals allegedly coming to Nigeria to acquire children through unlawful means. She stated that the agency has broadened its investigation to identify and apprehend all individuals associated with the case.
“Anyone found culpable will face due process under the law, and the safety and welfare of the affected children will remain our top priority,” Bello added.
