By In a shocking development, a 28-year-old labourer, Uchenna Eziekwe, and his wife, Chineye, were apprehended by the police in Lagos for allegedly attempting to sell their two-year-old child.
The couple’s plan, according to reports, was to raise funds to facilitate their relocation to Canada in search of a better life amidst Nigeria’s economic challenges.
The arrest, conducted by officers from the Isolo Divisional Police Station, followed a tip-off from the management of Isolo General Hospital. The couple had reportedly approached the hospital with intentions to sell their toddler.
Expressing remorse during interrogation, Uchenna explained to journalists, “It was a difficult decision, but we felt we had no choice. We believed it would be better for our child to be cared for by someone else than to suffer from hunger.”
The couple’s desperate attempt shocked authorities and prompted immediate action from the police.
Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, confirmed the incident while addressing the media at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja.
“On Tuesday afternoon, our officers received information that a couple had approached Isolo General Hospital with plans to sell their two-year-old son,” Hundeyin stated. “Upon swift intervention, Uchenna Eziekwe, 28, and Chineye Eziekwe, 22, were apprehended at the hospital premises.”
He further elaborated that the couple confessed their intention to sell the child to finance Uchenna’s emigration to Canada, citing aspirations for better opportunities abroad. The toddler was rescued and is now in the care of authorities pending further legal proceedings.
