A 24-year-old Nigerian woman has admitted, in a startling turn of events, to having sold her brother Friday Okonkwo, age three, for ₦410k in Adamawa State.
Okonkwo explained her behavior by blaming it on the dire economic conditions facing the nation.
She tricked her mother, Hauwa Lawan, into thinking she was enrolling her brother in a 40-kilometer-distance school in Mubi. Rather, she sold him to Efunaya Nabufe, a human trafficker, who transported him to Enugu State.
Using the money, Blessing bought a grinding machine and gave her boyfriend N200,000 to cover the traditional wedding costs.
Hauwa Lawan expressed shock that her daughter would be able to sell her sibling to an unknown individual.
She described how Blessing had misled her about getting her brother enrolled in school and how she had not heard from him for a full year.
The truth came to light when Blessing’s father learned of the child’s whereabouts during her proposal of marriage.
Blessing revealed that the child was alive and living with a woman in Enugu after he sought the advice of an oracle.
Following a thorough investigation, Blessing and Efunaya Nabufe will face charges, according to SP Suleiman Nguroje, who confirmed their arrest.
