A Police Corporal, Uche Odoemena, has been arrested for snatching a newborn baby at gunpoint from its mother and selling it for N600,000.
Odoemena, who allegedly committed the offence in Anambra State, serves in the Imo State Command of the Nigeria Police.
Officials of the Imo State Police Command, who confirmed the incident to The AUTHORITY, said that the Police Commissioner, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, is leaving no stone unturned to unravel how Odoemena sold the baby he stole.
Odoemena has already been dismissed after an orderly room trial and has been remanded in police custody.
The AUTHORITY gathered that Odoemena, popularly called the “Prince”, was attached to the Okigwe Area Command of Imo State.
A source who sought anonymity said that Odoemena, who is married to a fellow officer, Sergeant Cynthia Odoemena, had in the past been accused of human trafficking but without proof.
The source said that Odoemena allegedly snatched the new born baby at gunpoint from the yet-to-be identified mother in Anambra State and sold it for N600,000.
It was further gathered that men of the Anambra State Police Command tracked Odoemena down and arrested him following a complaint by the baby’s mother.
The Anambra Police Command later handed him over to the Okigwe Police Area Command.
It was gathered that the Imo State Police boss has ordered that Odoemena should be dismissed and be prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.
When The AUTHORITY contacted the Imo command’s spokesperson, DSP Andrew Enwerem, he said: “Just hold on, we are going to address the press very soon.”
