A grandmother in Anambra State, Nigeria, is in police custody for allegedly selling a newborn for N50,000.
The grandmother, Oluchukwu Nwosu, is accused of selling the baby born out of wedlock to her daughter, Ijeoma Nwosu.
The baby was rescued by the Anambra State Ministry of Women and Social Welfare and the state police command after Ijeoma Nwosu alerted the ministry.
In a press statement by Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, the media aide to the state Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Ify Obinabo, said that the grandmother sold the baby due to their low income and lack of care and challenges of feeding the baby.
The grandmother confessed to selling the baby and said that a buyer paid her N50,000.
The buyer of the baby, Madam Evelyn, a native of Uruagu Nnewi, was also arrested. She said that she paid N200,000 (about $440) to the person who obtained the baby for her.
All the suspects have been handed over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.
The sale of newborns is a serious problem in Nigeria, where poverty and desperation often lead people to make desperate choices. The government is working to address the problem, but more needs to be done to support vulnerable families and raise awareness of the dangers of selling babies.
