A woman, Chinyere Agha Eze, popularly known as Bumi, from Amata Akpoha community in Afikpo North Local government area of Ebonyi State, has been accused of allegedly trafficking her own children to Lagos State where she sells them to make money.
Chinyere, our correspondent reports was arrested on November 24, 2020 and was taken into custody by Afikpo Police Divisional headquarters, while little Orji was rescued on December 6, 2020
According to a youth leader in the community Uche Donatus, he revealed that Chinyere was an alleged known child trafficker that the community had been wanting to have concrete evidence against her so that she would be exposed.
He narrated that Chinyere was exposed following the incident of October, 14, 2020 when she reportedly convinced a pregnant woman from the same community and took her to Lagos State where she delivered the baby and Chinyere allegedly sold him with the consent of the mother, Omagah mathins.
Donatus said that after the child was sold, both Chinyere and the baby’s mother came back to the village and claimed the woman was taken to her elder brother’s place in Porthcourt where the baby died after delivery.
“So the villagers in their own local way of investigation later found out that both Bumi and Omagah Mathins sold the new born baby, but we decided to be silent about the matter since there was no clear evidence” he added.
The youth leader said weeks after the October 14, incident, Mathins’ 3years child, master Orji Okoro went missing. Stating; “Orji, who is the son of the same Omagah Mathins suddenly disappeared around 8:00am after visiting the house of Mrs Chinyere Agha Eze. On that same day,Tochukwu Egwu, who is the son of Chinyere travelled. Tochukwu works with his mother.
“After several interrogations by the villagers, Omagah later accepted that she conspired with her mother, Eke Mathins (her Elder brother who stays in Portharcourt ) and sold the new born baby at Lagos. Bumi denied having hand in the disappearance of the three year old boy but later accepted she sold him to the same Yoruba woman who is into full time child trafficking business in Lagos.
“The matter was reported to Afikpo division police post and the five suspects including Toochukwu Egwu, were handed over to police for more investigation. On 6th December 2020, DPO called Mr. Okoro who is an uncle to the missed child and handed over the child to him, stating that the child was sent to their station by the woman in Lagos.
”It is believed that some accomplices are working secretly to secure her bail through flimsy charges in court.” he added
The youth leader further hinted there was serious tension in the community as the youth leadership insists that justice must be seen to have been done on the matter otherwise the people may not have the capacity to control the irate youths who wanted to lynch Chinyere at the village square after her confession to the crime and the attack on the police officers who came to arrest the suspects and her accomplices.
“The entire people of Amata Akpoha are calling on the relevant bodies and government agencies to come to our rescue and save our future generation in Akpoha from this powerful cabal. Our SOS goes to Her Excellency, the wife of our dear Governor to come to the rescue of infant children and helpless mothers in the community from the hands of this bloody money ritualists and lovers. We are also calling for discrete investigations into this matter to unravel all those behind this business and rescue other helpless children begging for life and freedom”, he stated.