A disturbing case of child trafficking has rocked Ebonyi State as police arrested a man, identified as Chukwuma Onwe, for allegedly selling his five-year-old son for ₦1.5 million. The buyer, Mrs. Chinyere Ugochukwu, has also been apprehended as investigations continue.
The suspect, a native of Nwezenyi-Igbeagu community in Izzi Local Government Area, reportedly struck the deal with a woman identified as Mrs. Chinyere Ugochukwu, who has also been arrested by the police.
Sources familiar with the incident say Onwe deceitfully took the child from his fiancée, Mrs. Philomena Iroko, under the pretext of sending him to his sister for better care. Instead, he allegedly exchanged the innocent boy for cash.
The shocking betrayal has stirred outrage among locals, with many describing it as a “heartless act of greed and moral collapse.”
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Joshua Ukandu, said both the seller and the buyer were arrested on Friday at the Azugwu area of Abakaliki.
Ukandu further revealed that the child has since been rescued from the buyer and placed in a safer environment pending the conclusion of investigations.
“The suspect lied to his wife-to-be that he handed the child over to his sister for care,” Ukandu disclosed. “Both the man and the buyer will be charged to court after investigation.”
The case has reignited conversations around child trafficking, parental neglect, and the rising commodification of human life, especially among those struggling with poverty and moral decline.
Many are questioning what could push a father to trade his own flesh and blood for money — a question that remains as disturbing as the crime itself.
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