A 52-year-old woman in Ezinihitte Mbaise Local Government
Area, Imo State, Mrs. Tina Iwuji, alleged to have done an
abominable thing by arranging the sale of the baby of her son’s
girlfriend, is now gnashing her teeth in the custody of the Imo
State Police Command.
The two-week-old baby girl was allegedly sold for the sum of
N350,000 to another woman, Bernadine Abara, who claimed to
be in need of a girl to complement her three sons.
The whole sordid affair began when Iwuji’s son, Emeka, who
resides in Lagos impregnated the mother of the baby, Esther
Godwin, a native of Ndoki, Delta State and then sent her to
be with his mother in Mbaise. Both Emeka and Esther never
disclosed to the woman that her son was responsible for the
pregnancy.
Perhaps worried as a diligent mother ought to be, Tina
inquired from Esther whether her mother was aware of her
pregnancy and her presence in her house in Mbaise.
Recalling that conversation, Tina told Sunday Sun: “It was my
son Emeka Iwuji who brought Esther as a friend not a wife
from Lagos to my home in Mbaise, Imo State. I asked Esther
who was responsible for her pregnancy and she said it was not
my son. I asked her what was her mission and whether her
mother was aware that she came to Mbaise but she said no.
She came to the house on January 7, 2014.
Confirming this to Sunday Sun in an interview, Esther said:
“My husband, Emeka, impregnated me in Lagos and took me to
his family house in Mbaise, Imo State. I didn’t tell his mother
that he was responsible for the pregnancy.”
According to Imo State Police Commissioner, Mr Abdulmajid ,
Esther delivered a baby girl on April 11, 2014 at Hope Clinic
and Maternity, Mbaise. Hearing that Esther had safely
delivered the baby, Emeka allegedly called his mother on the
phone and instructed that she should arrange for the sale of
the baby and the money realized be given to Esther to enable
her to continue with her education in Lagos State.
Subsequently Tina began pressuring Esther to submit to the
evil intent of selling the baby to an adoption syndicate
operating in the area, as confirmed to Sunday Sun in these
words: “When I delivered, my husband told his mother that
she should sell the baby girl and give me the money to go back
to Lagos. My mother-in-law was desperate to sell the baby
girl.”
At this point, a nurse who is part of the baby adoption/ sales
syndicate, Eunice Eze came into the picture and invited
another woman, Patricia Njoku, who identified a willing buyer,
Mrs Benardine Abara.
With all arrangements in place, the sticking point was the
unwillingness of Esther to agree to the evil design against her
baby. To effect their plan, Tina allegedly ordered her younger
brother, Nicholas Imoh to convey Esther to a certain place.
Somewhere along the way, on Oparache road, Aboh Mbaise
LGA, he stopped and forcefully took the baby away from
Esther and handed it over to Patricia, who took the baby to
Nurse Eze for onward delivery to Bernardine, who claimed to
be in need of a baby girl and paid N350,000 for the baby.
In tears, Esther rushed to the Mbaise police station to report
the case. Policemen quickly moved and arrested the alleged
culprits and also recovered the baby.
It was during police interrogation that Tina learnt that her
son was responsible for Esther’s pregnancy. With visible agony,
she said: “It was when I was arrested with the other people
that Esther confessed that my son Emeka was responsible for
her pregnancy. I was shocked.”
On her part, Bernardine acknowledged buying the baby that
was brought to her house but, however, said she was not aware
that it was stolen from the mother. She said: “I have three
boys and I needed a female baby. I paid N350,000 and she
was handed over to me by Nurse Eunice Eze. They gave me the
baby on April 13, 2014 around 6.00pm. The following day,
policemen came to arrest me in my house. They (Nurse Eze and
the others) had told me earlier that the adoption was
perfected.”