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 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 Affairs and Social Welfare, Hon |Ify Obinabo, posed as a buyer for the children, after she got a hint of Chukwu’s plan.
Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, the media assistant to the commissioner, in a press release, said the culprits blamed the prevailing economic hardship in the country 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 that they were kept at the price of N1 million each but after serious bargaining the commissioner opted to N1.8million for both children.
“She said she developed interest in selling the children after her neighbour successfully sold one of her kids. She said this was her first attempt at the business.”
Newsmen gathered that the suspect hails from Ozubulu but was arrested at Okija where she resides with her children.
Further probe showed that even though she had only two kids for her late husband, the suspect bore the other nine for her lovers after her husband’s demise.
Ikeanyionwu said the women affairs commissioner has ordered that the remaining children of the suspect be taken into the state government’s custody for proper care while Chukwu’s neighbour would also be arrested for engaging in the same business.