4th June, 2015
Josephine Odum-John
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of Lagos State Police Command has arrested a man for allegedly selling his 2-year-old son for N300,000.
Investigation revealed that Kanayo Awurum, a painter, from Imo State, eastern Nigeria, allegedly impregnated his girlfriend, Ugochukwu Kelechi, and absconded shortly after that.
It was after Kelechi gave birth to the boy that he was sold when he was two years old without her knowledge.
Two years later, Awurum allegedly came back and apologised to her.
Thereafter, he relocated to Lagos to meet Kelechi at Ikotun. It was gathered that he had no money after he relocated. As a result, he told Kelechi about his intention to use his son for a loan, with a promise that after three months, he would offset the loan and claim the boy back.
His wife was said to have objected to that. But the suspect who relocated to Lagos with his wife left his son in the care of a relation in his village.
Awurum’s friend, Ibe Emmanuel, allegedly advised him to sell off the boy.
It was alleged that Ibe even went ahead to assist in looking for a buyer and found one in Port Harcourt where the boy, Chukwunonyerum Samuel, was allegedly sold to Mrs. Chinwe for N300,000.
Ibe who assisted in getting a buyer was allegedly given N50,000.
Awurum allegedly used part of the money to rent a self-contained room at Ikotun and paid for a year and half.
After some time, one of Awurum’s relatives called him for a house painting contract in Owerri. He proceeded to Owerri from where he called Kelechi and told her that the landlord should rent out the self-contained room in Lagos to another person
The woman became worried and suspicious until Awurum stopped picking her calls. This prompted her and the landlord to report the matter to Ikotun Police station and the matter was later transferred to Lagos.
He was tracked down and arrested and upon interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the police that he sold his son.
Lagos State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Kenneth Nwosu confirmed the arrest.
He said that SARS operatives have been despatched to Port Harcourt to arrest the buyer of the boy and recover him, adding that all those who participated in the illegal child abuse, human trafficking and sale of the boy would be prosecuted as soon as investigation is concluded.
The victim’s mother Kelechi, 28, from Ikeduru, Imo State, an apprentice caterer, said she met Awurum while she was in a secondary school and they both dated for 10 years before she got pregnant for him.
“He came to my family to tell them he wanted to marry me. They told him to go and bring his family members. Since then, he ran away. After one year, I gave birth to the baby that was sold. He called me and started begging. My brother warned his family that he does not want to see him in our house. When he had an accident, I was worried and went to see him. When he recovered, he told me that if I was still interested I should prepare to relocate with him to Lagos. I never knew it was a ploy to sell our son. I am now two months pregnant for him again,” she said.