Couple Jailed 15 Years for Selling Infant, Toddler in Calabar

Couple Jailed 15 Years for Selling Infant, Toddler in Calabar

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Cross River State Command, has secured convictions against a husband and wife for selling their children for monetary gain in Calabar. The couple, Esther Ini Udo (32) and Eyo Stephen Udo (34), were sentenced to 15 years in prison each and fined ₦2 million, following a four-count charge for child trafficking and exploitation.

The Federal High Court, Calabar heard that Esther sold her newborn baby to a trafficker, Oluchi Judith (at large), for ₦300,000, while the couple also bought a one-year-old baby from accomplices, Blessing and Uduak, for ₦150,000 and resold the child to the same trafficker for ₦400,000. The court strongly condemned the actions, describing them as a gross violation of child rights and anti-trafficking laws.

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Both defendants initially pleaded not guilty, but the court found them guilty on all counts. Justice I. Ojukwu, presiding over the case (Suit No: FHC/CA/19C/2025), sentenced Esther and Eyo Stephen to 15-year jail terms, to run concurrently from April 1, 2026, the date of judgment.

The court also directed NAPTIP to arrest Oluchi Judith, who is wanted in connection with this and other human trafficking cases. Authorities emphasize that child trafficking remains a serious offense in Nigeria, with law enforcement intensifying efforts to dismantle networks involved in the sale and exploitation of infants and toddlers.

NAPTIP hailed the convictions as a significant victory against human trafficking, urging communities to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities involving children. Officials stressed that such harsh sentences serve as a deterrent to traffickers and perpetrators of child exploitation across the country.

Couple Jailed 15 Years for Selling Infant, Toddler in Calabar