Akwa Ibom couple arrested for trying to sell their two daughters aged 4 and 6 in Uyo

AN Akwa Ibom couple have been arrested by officials of the Anti-Human Trafficking Unit of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) for conniving to sell their two daughters aged four and six.

In an unprecedented development, Elisha Effiong  and his wife planned to sell their two children but the security forces got tipped off about the development.  Mr Effiong, who lives in Cameroon with his wife, was arrested in Uyo on November 15, while trying to sell their children, identified as Abasifreke Edet and Rachael Edet.

Umana Ukeme a spokesman for the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the NSCDC, said the couple said that their decision to want to sell the children was borne out of extreme hardship. He added that Mr Effiong confided in a private security guard about his plans but this guard  notified the commandant of the corps Mr Abidemi Majekodunmi, who immediately ordered his arrest.

Mr Ukeme said: “The suspect, Elisha Edet Effiong, was apprehended with his two children identified as Abasifreke Edet, 6, and Rachel Edet, 4, while attempting to sell them for M700,000 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Effiong, 40 years was apprehended at FulCare Hospital along Ekpanya Street, where he notified the security guard of his intention to sell his two children to pay off his debt and meet other financial challenges.

“The security guard notified the NSCDC and immediately, commandant Abidemi Majekodunmi detailed personnel of the anti-human trafficking unit of the corps who swung into action and apprehended the suspect alongside with his two daughters.”  According to Mr Ukeme, preliminary investigations have been concluded while the case would be transferred to the zonal office in Uyo for the prosecution of the suspect.

While commending the private security guard for the prompt release of an intelligence report that aided the arrest of the suspect, Mr Majekodunmi condemned the heinous act, describing it as a crime against humanity. He called on the good people of Akwa Ibom State to always avail personnel of the corps with timely and actionable intelligence that could lead to arrest and tracking of criminal elements in the state.