The Makurdi Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has arrested a 49-year-old woman, Mrs Augustina Ikyor, for adopting twins in Benue State.
The Zonal Commander, Bai Iveren, in a statement, said the mother of the twins claimed that the suspect deceitfully took the babies away from her.
The statement read in part, “We received a complaint from a distressed 22-year-old mother of twins, who alleged that her twin babies of about two months were deceitfully taken from her by a woman she barely knew.
“She stated that the woman had previously demanded she sell off her twin babies since she had been thrown out of where she was staying.
“Although she rejected the offer, but under the guise of assisting her, the woman took the twins from her to an unknown destination.
“A tactical team of operatives from the command was immediately detailed to handle the matter and in a swift sting operation, one Mrs Augustina Ikyor, 49, was arrested and the twin babies (a boy and girl) were rescued. The mother and babies are currently in safe custody.”
The commander called on the public to be on the lookout for people who lured young girls, mostly single mothers, to sell their newborns under the guise of assistance.