By Ikeugonna Eleke
Officials of the Anambra State ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare have arrested a 38 year old woman, Chinyere Chukwu, for attempting to sell two of her grandsons.
The mother of 11 children was arrested alongside her 17 year old daughter, Joy Chukwu, who is the mother of the boys.
Chukwu was arrested after the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Welfare, Hon Ify Obinabo, posed as a buyer for the children after she got a hint of Chukwu’s willingness to sell off the children.
Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, the media assistant to the Commissioner, who revealed this, said in a press release that the culprits confessed to officials of the ministry after that the prevailing economic hardship in the country was the reason for their actions.
Ikeanyionwu said: ‘Chinyere explained that she had 11 kids and couldn’t cater for them, hence her decision.
‘The suspect said that since they were boys, they were kept at the price of N1 million each but after serious bargaining the Commissioner opted for N1.8million for both children.
‘She said she developed interest in selling the children after her neighbour successfully sold one of her kids and that this was her first attempt at the business.
Fides gathered that the suspect hails from Ozubulu but was arrested at Okija where she resides with her children.
Further probes showed that even though she had only two kids for her late husband, the suspect bore another nine for her lovers after her husband’s demise.
Ikeanyionwu said the Women’s Affairs Commissioner had ordered that the remaining children of the suspect be taken into the state government’s custody for proper care while, while Chukwu’s neighbour would also be arrested for engaging in same business.
