Anambra State Government through the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare has handed a couple and an accomplice to the police over alleged human trafficking in Ifitedunu, Dunukofia Local Government Area of the state.

This was made known in a statement by the media aide to the Women Affairs Commissioner, Chidinma Ikeanyionwu, on Facebook on Tuesday.

According to the statement, the arrest was made possible after the community chairman, Mr Arinzechukwu Azodo, notified the Women Affairs Commissioner, Ify Obinabo, about a suspected trafficking incident in the community.

According to Mr Azodo, he was alerted by his team commander over a report of suspected trafficking taking place in the community and quickly informed the commissioner, who instructed him to arrest the suspects.

Upon arrest, it was discovered that the suspects were about to seal a deal worth one million naira.

One of the suspects, Ebere, confessed that she was approached by another suspect, Temple Nwankwo, who offered to sell her twin baby.

Ebere claimed she agreed to partner with Temple and link her up with a prospective buyer. However, Temple denied any involvement in the alleged transaction.

The statement said, “Ebere said she accepted to partner with her and went further to link her up to a prospective buyer who needed a male child urgently. Ebere in her confession said that after their negotiation, they agreed to meet at Oye Agu to further seal the transaction but instead, Temple requested an instant payment of one million naira in her account which the buyer objected to because he hadn’t seen the baby in question which brought disagreement among them before Temple changed her mind and left them.

“On the alleged seller’s part, Temple Nwankwo from Enugu State but resident at Ifitedunu, she denied ever having to be in any type of business with Ebere but explained that she only reconnected with her when she was four months pregnant. Temple in her defence said it was Ebere who actually asked for her help in getting a male child because she’s not been able to have a child of her own.

“Temple in her confession said, after Ebere made the request, she warned her to never involve her in such and that since that day, Ebere has been coming to her house in her absence meeting her daughter even after her several warnings to her.

The investigation revealed that Temple had been accused of human trafficking by some community members, who claimed that she and her husband, Ndubuisi Nwankwo, were involved in the business. When questioned about the whereabouts of her two children, Temple claimed they were dead, but her story raised suspicions.

The statement added, “It will interest you to know that, some members of the community alleged that Temple is into the trafficking business with her husband Ndubuisi Nwankwo as an accomplice because they have not seen some of her children for a very long time.

“When the couple were asked the whereabouts of the two kids, they claimed that they were dead but when asked about the people present when they were buried, they stated no one has ever been around to witness the burial of the two children.

“It was at this point that the Honourable Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare Anambra, Obinabo, who was visibly sad over the incident, handed them over to the police for investigation and prosecution.”

The Commissioner for Women and Social Welfare, Obinabo, handed the suspects over to the police for investigation and prosecution, reiterating the state government’s commitment to ending human trafficking.

She urged the public to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the ministry.