Contradicting claims are being made in Ebonyi over the purported sale of a newborn baby for N25 million.

At the centre of the controversy is Susan Nweze, a 37-year-old single mother from Ebonyi. The woman’s family had alleged that some police officers connived with the woman to sell the baby.

The family filed their complaint in a petition to the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation, Enugu, through their lawyer, Nzogbu Kingsley.

“They connived and sold the baby for N25 million, while a paltry N700,000 was given to Susan, our daughter”, they alleged.

The family members also accused the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NAPTIP and the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs of having a hand in the sale.

They demanded that the baby boy be released to them.

Nweze, however, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at her residence in Abakaliki that she only collected N700,000 for adoption and not for sale as alleged by an online media.

She decried the alleged sale, saying that the adoption processes were duly followed and signed before she gave out the baby.

Nweze, however, maintained that her baby was given out for an adoption for N700,000 only and not N25 million.

Speaking on Tuesday, she explained that, “I gave birth at the Police Headquarters Clinic and I knew very well that I was not ready to embark on training any child due to some difficulties around me.”

“I am a single-mother, I already have a 19-year-old daughter and a 12-year-old son.

“So, I thought about all these and I knew I was not capable of raising a new child.

“I did not give out my child for adoption because of money. It was because I knew I was not prepared for the baby. I have nothing doing and no help from anywhere.

“The individual who adopted the baby gave me N700,000 only. The money was just to compensate and help me recover from my delivery,” Nweze said.

Reacting to the development, Mr Ikeuwa Omebeh, Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Ebonyi, described the allegation as unfounded.

He said, “We understood that the mother of the said baby gave up the boy for custody and possible adoption since according to her, she was not financially and emotionally stable to keep the baby.

“The ministry is currently handling the matter based on extant law and investigation is ongoing to ascertain the genuineness and circumstances surrounding the baby’s birth, paternity and other incidents thereof.”

Mrs Felicia Nwankpuma, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, who

Said that the ministry was not involved in the sale of the baby, added that, “I am shocked about the N25 million and I do not know where that story is coming from.

“The child is with us. It is in the custody of the ministry to ensure that the baby is well taken care of.

“No baby was sold. So, any story about N25 million, I don’t know,” Nwankpuma said.