Olusegun Ariyo
The Delta State Police Command has arrested two women, Tessi Ikechukwu and Lauretta Akomen, for allegedly stealing and selling a three day old baby for N2 million.
The police also rescued a three day baby from the suspects.
Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.
“On 1/10/2024, at about 1830hours, a tricycle rider (name withheld) came to Ekpan Police Station and reported that while he was on his daily commercial operation, four women boarded his tricycle, on reaching Efurrun Roundabout, two of them alighted from the tricycle.
“One of the two women who alighted handed over a newborn baby boy to the women left in his tricycle and he heard one of them saying ‘the balance has been paid’ while saying that when they get to their destination, they should inform her.
“The tricycle rider smartly diverted the two women, Tessi Ikechukwu and Lauretta Akomen, and the newborn baby to Ekpan Police Station.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that one of the suspects Lauretta Akomen, aged 38 years, bought the baby for the sum of N2 million from a traditional home located in Port Harcourt where they harbour teenage girls, and got men to have sex with them till they are pregnant after which they sell the babies to people looking for children.
“The suspect also revealed that she was given a drug which she took for some time to make her look pregnant. She later led the DPO CSP Aliyu Shaba and operatives to the house of one Gloria (surname unknown) who acted as an agent between her and the traditional home.
“Suspects are in custody while a manhunt for the other accomplices is ongoing,” the statement reads.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, has thanked the tricycle rider for being a patriotic citizen, just as he urged others to emulate him.
