Imo State: Woman Native Doctor Arrested For Selling 19 Kids

Chioma Anoruo with some of the Children

The police at State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, Owerri have arrested a woman native doctor who specialised in human merchandise in Okporo in Orlu town,
Imo State. Southeast Nigeria. The woman,
Chioma Anoruo has equally confessed that she and her husband, Emeka who is now on the run, have sold more than 19 Children to their customers, reports thenews

Chioma was arrested by the community local vigilance group led by their chairman, Innocent Anokwute who handed her them over to the police at SCID. Five children including a new born baby already kidnapped for sale were also rescued. A Jeep belonging to her husband, Emeka was recovered and undisclosed large sum of money was found on Chioma was also recovered by the vigilance group. It was not certain whether they handed the money to the police or not

Emeka Anoruo husband of Chioma who is on the run

TheNEWS gathered from the residents that there has been incessant missing of children in the area which was of serious concern to the community leaders. This year alone the community has recorded a number of children missing. On 30 of March, Dominion Obasi, a pupil of Ezioha Community School, Okporo was kidnapped in the school premise and since then, he has not been found. While the community was searching for him, son of a Deeper life pastor was also kidnapped and is still missing. As if that was not enough, one Femi lost his six-year old son and has not been found. Recently, two sons of the same parents, identified as Chukwuemeka and Chigozie, pupils of Holy Trinity Anglican school, Amazu in Okporo was abducted while returning home after their school had closed for the day.

The house where the couple kept stolen children for sale

As the abductors were trying to escape with them with their motorcycle, a palm wine tapper who saw the two men, while on top of a palm tree, raised alarm which attracted the attention of the vigilance group that pursued them and apprehended one of the suspects identified as Ebuka.
The arrest of Chioma followed after Ebuka mentioned Chioma and her husband as their sponsors who buy each child from them for N100,000 and re-sell. The vigilance group asked Ebuka to show them where their sponsors reside in the area and he took them to a house belonging to an indigiene who resides in Lagos identified as Nicholas Okeke. The house served as their residential as well using it as captors den.

According to vigilant, when Chioma’s husband, Emeka sighted them, he escaped through the back door while his wife chioma was apprehended and forced to open their doors apartment where the victims were found inside a room in captivity. During her confession, she revealed that human merchandise was their family business between her and her husband, Emeka for years. She said her major work in the business was to keep the victim while her husband would contact buyers and sell them. She also confessed that they have sold more than 19 children and the remaining five were yet to be sold to their customers before her arrest.

The vigilance men transferred Chioma and the rescued victims to SCID Owerri under a department led by one Supol Obi. When TheNEWS visited Orlu, the residents confirmed the incident and said the matter had been taken over by the police at SCID Owerri.

The traditional Prime Minister of Okporo community, Chief Victor Udensi, said that there has been incessant crimes, including child theft in Okporo comprising three autonomous communities.
He said because of the challenge, they have called security meeting and tightened up security in the area. He said crime rate has reduced because of drastic actions they have taken over time. As at the time of filing this report, our correspondent was on his way to Owerri state capital for their parade.

Source: thenews