Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Government has denied allegations published by Sahara Reporters suggesting that officials of its Ministry of Women Affairs, in collusion with other government agencies, sold a baby for N25 million.
The report alleged the involvement of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Police, and other agencies in the purported illicit transaction.
Addressing the media at a joint press briefing in Abakaliki on Friday, the Commissioner for Information and State Orientation, Mr. Ikeuwa Omebeh, and the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Felicia Nwamkpuma, described the report as “misleading, unfounded, and capable of inciting public distrust in the state’s child protection system.”
The allegations reportedly stem from a petition by the family of Nweze Philip Obasi of Umuobuna Etiti, Uburu, in Ohaozara Local Government Area, who accused security operatives and social welfare officials of complicity in the alleged sale and cover-up of a baby.
However, Omebeh said that all agencies mentioned in the report—including NAPTIP, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Police, and the State Ministry of Women Affairs—have denied any wrongdoing.
“Ordinarily, the government would have ignored the claims, but for the love and care Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru has for children and in line with the Child Rights Law of 2010, we felt it necessary to address the public,” Omebeh said.
Speaking further, Mrs. Nwamkpuma also strongly refuted the allegations, insisting that neither the Ministry nor any of its staff was involved in the sale of any child.
She confirmed that the baby in question is safe and currently under the protective custody of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
According to her, the Ministry became involved in the matter after the police brought the child in for official documentation, following the mother’s voluntary decision to relinquish custody due to financial and emotional challenges.
“The Ministry, acting within its mandate under the Child Rights Law of 2010, took the child into protective custody pending further investigation,” she explained.
“Our primary concern is the child’s safety and welfare. The baby is currently in a secure environment while we investigate the circumstances surrounding his birth, paternity, and custody. There is no truth to the claim that the child was sold,” she added.
The commissioners emphasized the state government’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and justice. They assured that any official found culpable at the end of the ongoing investigation would face strict disciplinary action.
They reiterated that Ebonyi State remains committed to protecting the rights and welfare of every child and upholding the law without compromise.
