After extorting N3 million from a nurse under the pretence that she would be given twins, the Arrows of God Orphanage in Nkwele Ezunaka, Oyi local government area of Anambra State—a child exploitation facility—was exposed only a few days ago, another child adoption syndicate in the state has been exposed.
The nurse was acting as a front for an unnamed individual who reportedly provided the money.
The leader of the syndicate recently built a pharmacy after receiving N3 million from the nurse and operating a beer parlour in Nnobi, Idemili South local government area of the state.
She is also claiming to be a nurse because she just launched the pharmacy, which she paid for with some of the N3 million she raised.
The operator of the beer shop, a mother of three, failed to deliver the twins as promised, resulting in the arrangement being made public.
The Chief Magistrate Court in Nnobi is already hearing the case, and the parties concerned have begun outlining their degree of engagement for the court.
A federal servant who is a male member of the syndicate stated that he became involved when a coworker begged him to help her adopt a child.
Even though he was the plaintiff in the lawsuit between the police commissioner and the owner of the beer parlour, he said he was unaware that it was illegal.
“The child is not being adopted for me, but rather for a woman who lives in Onitsha. I’ve never even met her. Only because I believed the nurse to be real did I make the connection to the beer parlour lady.
“The nurse paid the N3m and received confirmation that the twins will be delivered to her on February 12, 2023. We began hunting for the lady when she was unable to bring the babies, he told the court.
Additionally, it was discovered that the individual in Onitsha was operating on behalf of a person outside the state and was not even the one who was adopting the twins.
According to Section 1 Subsection (1) (a) of the Advanced Free Fraud and Other Related Offences, 2006, the police have already accused the lady who worked at the beer parlour of fraud.
Maximum and minimum prison terms for the offence are both 20 years.
The police prosecutor in charge of the case said that after receiving the N3m, the owner of the beer parlour continued telling the nurse that the infants will be given to her later, but the infants weren’t delivered until August 18, 2023.
“The complainant proceeded to meet her on the scheduled day along Ojoto Road, where she had earlier given her instructions. When she arrived, she gave her a daughter who was about six years old. According to the police prosecutor, the complainant declined to adopt the child on the grounds that it was not what they had agreed upon.
The daughter she provided her, according to the police, was too old to be adopted, and for that reason, the complainant went to the Nnobi Police Station and reported the incident.
The owner of the beer bar was questioned if she had a patent medicine licence. She said that the procedure to become a member had started, and she had already sent some money to the association’s chairman.
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The woman begged for forgiveness, saying she had already begun refunding the N3 million and that she had already paid N300,000.
Chief Magistrate Ken Nwoye, who was presiding, bemoaned the prevalence of child trafficking disguised as adoption.
“Orphanages have turned into breeding grounds for child trafficking, and some of the homes have teenage girls they pay to get pregnant and then sell the child once it is born,” he said.
“Since they sell infants and kids to the highest bidder, these shelters for motherless newborns are also hotspots for child trafficking. Child traffickers are anyone who remains at home, pays, and has a child delivered to them.
“Anyone wishing to adopt a child should follow the legal procedures, which are handled by the Ministry of Social Welfare.
“Illegal adoption is a kind of kidnapping and theft. People who wish to adopt children shouldn’t be in a rush. Consult a lawyer; he will follow the legal procedure, thus he should be able to help you.
“According to what is happening, this deal is helping a lot of people,”
The magistrate said that child trafficking charges will be brought against both the fictitious nurse, who is a mother of three, and the real nurse, who is ostensibly a front for an unidentified individual.
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