By JENNIFER YARIMA
It is disheartening that people today have devised means of exploiting criminal tendencies to pollute society with impunity. Certain practices that were once considered taboo or unheard of are gradually creeping into our communities, ravaging the cherished norms and values that have shaped and protected our societies from time immemorial. Some of these vices are now becoming trendy lifestyles, which must be condemned by naming and shaming their perpetrators and enablers.
Recently, the Alheri community in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State woke up to the horrific and heart-breaking news of a 23-year-old woman (name withheld), an indigene of the state, who confessed to selling her newborn baby to a personnel of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) for ₦300,000.
Although the said sum had not been paid to the mother of the child, the deal had been sealed, and the baby was already in the hands of the FRSC personnel before they were arrested. Investigations, however, revealed that part of the agreed amount had been used to settle the hospital bills for the mother, who had undergone a Caesarean Section (CS).
The whistle-blowers, who are also community leaders, raised the alarm when they noticed the presence of a new face settling in as a tenant in the neighbourhood. After a while, they discovered she had a sinister motive. According to one of the elders, who pleaded anonymity, the young woman had been living in a one-room apartment for about two months while pregnant. The landlady mentioned that some people had come to pay her rent for one year, amounting to ₦15,000, which aroused suspicion. The dilapidated nature of the room shocked the community, as even animals could hardly be kept in such a place. Curiously, when the landlady requested that the room be tidied up, the tenants refused, saying they didn’t want it painted or lighted, which further deepened her concerns and suspicions.
On Thursday, September 19, the young woman had a successful CS at the Our Lady of Apostles hospital, (popularly known as OLA), in Jos, where the baby boy was delivered. But unbeknownst to anyone, the people to whom she had negotiated to sell her unborn baby had paid for the surgery. According to the mother of the child, “I didn’t want to abort the pregnancy, and I didn’t need the baby.” Although this initially sounded like a joke, when she refused to breastfeed the baby, it became clear she wasn’t prepared to take care of the child. Disturbingly, this was the second time this young woman had sold her child in such an insane manner.
Her boyfriend, who is from Kaduna State, revealed that they had lived together for four months without him realising she was pregnant. When he eventually found out and was told she didn’t want to keep the baby, he contacted a woman in Shendam, Plateau State, to see if she would adopt the child. However, being a mother of four herself, she declined. The boyfriend then reached out to another childless woman, who showed interest, and negotiations began. The deal was sealed, with illegal documents signed by a legal practitioner who claimed to be her lawyer, transferring ownership of the child.
The mother of the baby narrated to THE NIGERIA STANDARD that the ₦300,000 was never given to her, not even after delivery, and she was only offered a token sum of ₦15,000 for upkeep after two months. After staying in the hospital for three days, she was discharged and abandoned by the roadside, while they took the baby to an unknown destination, later claimed to be Shendam. The FRSC personnel involved in the shady deal admitted that the full amount hadn’t been paid but promised to do so once the mother fully recovered. This, however, was fraudulent and against the original agreement. When asked what she would do with the money, the young woman said she would invest it in an as-yet unidentified business.
The Alheri Police outpost arrested the mother as she planned to relocate to Abuja. When the baby’s location was identified, the FRSC personnel was ordered to return the child to the station.
The swift intervention of the Plateau State Gender Commission and the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) is highly commendable, as their involvement helped prevent potential manipulation. NAWOJ, led by their chairperson, Nene Dung, was already visiting the Commission to discuss their mandate of giving a voice to the voiceless and seeking possible collaborations.
The Commission, tasked with implementing rights protection laws such as the Gender and Equal Opportunities Law, Child’s Rights Law, Disabilities Rights Law, and Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, remains firm in its opposition to discrimination at all levels. Numerous human rights violations occur unchecked in our society: young girls are raped, many suffer domestic violence, and children are trafficked under the guise of being house helps, only to face further abuses.
Barrister Olivia Dazyam expressed regret that Plateau State has recently been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons, with many children trafficked and silenced in various places. During NAWOJ’s courtesy call, Dazyam appreciated the leadership of Governor Caleb Mutfwang, who has facilitated efforts to bring back Plateau children, reintegrate them into their communities, and provide them with opportunities to acquire life skills. She assured NAWOJ of robust collaboration in future.
The Gender Commission chairperson explained that the agency is relentless in ensuring that perpetrators are brought to justice. Dazyam proudly shared, “We secured our first conviction two months ago when a man violently assaulted his wife, causing her head injuries. He was convicted and sentenced to 31 days’ imprisonment, which he has since served.”
Currently, about five suspects are standing trial for trafficking, selling children and rape. This progress has been made possible through collaboration between the Attorney General, Plateau State Commissioner of Police, (COMPOL) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which have functional gender desk officers handling cases of violation.
Dazyam emphasised that ignorance of the law is no excuse. The Gender Commission has taken deliberate steps to raise awareness about these laws. Plateau State faces cultural impediments that hinder societal growth, as religious and community leaders often plead for forgiveness for perpetrators of crimes against women and children. “Sexual and gender-based violence is not a secret; no one should conceal a crime. People should desist from such acts,” she added.
Currently, the Plateau State Ministry of Women Affairs has taken custody of the baby, while the mother has been placed in a safe home to monitor her recovery and assess her psychological state. The complex nature of this case has generated and attracted significant interest. And, expectedly, Nigerians are keenly watching to see whether the matter will proceed to court.