A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has sentenced a couple to 15 years’ imprisonment each for child trafficking.
The convicts, Esther Ini Udo and her husband, Eyo Stephen Udo, were found guilty on four counts related to the buying and selling of infants for exploitation, in violation of Nigeria’s anti-trafficking laws.
The case was prosecuted by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, which presented evidence showing that the couple sold their newborn baby for N300,000 and also trafficked another child they had earlier purchased.
Delivering judgment, Justice I. Ojukwu condemned the crime, describing child trafficking as a serious violation of human rights.
Despite initially pleading not guilty, the court found the couple guilty on all charges and sentenced them to 15 years in prison each, with an option of a N2 million fine, effective April 1, 2026.
The court also ordered NAPTIP to intensify efforts to arrest a key suspect, Oluchi Judith, who remains at large.
