THE MENACE OF CHILD TRAFFICKING IN EZIOBODO COMMUNITY: A Disturbing Trend Exposed Through the Near-Trafficking of a Newborn in FUTO Community
On Wednesday, 19th November 2025, the Advocacy Program Area of CSAAE received a distress call from a student lodge in Eziobodo, leading to the rescue of a newborn baby that was almost trafficked less than 24 hours after birth.
Precious, a 20-year-old 200-level student at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), left her home in Mbaise with one dream, to make her parents proud as their only daughter and first child to attend university. But her life took a difficult turn when she became pregnant for a man she later discovered was married.
Her situation became even more complicated when she realized she was already five months pregnant, despite still seeing her period and showing little physical signs. This condition is referred to as “cryptic pregnancy,” where the woman does not notice typical symptoms.
When Precious informed the man responsible, he directed her to an address in Abia State, claiming that a “nurse” would help her terminate the pregnancy. Upon arriving in Aba, the supposed nurse told her she could not perform an abortion but instead would introduce her to a couple “looking for a child,” hinting that the baby could be handed over after delivery.
Precious, confused and afraid of disappointing her parents, told the nurse she only wanted her baby to be cared for while she continued school, but she insists she never agreed to sell her child.
She was instructed to travel back to Aba around 23rd–24th November to deliver the baby at the nurse’s clinic, where plans had already been made to sell the newborn.
However, fate intervened.
On 17th November, Precious went into unexpected labor and delivered her baby boy at a small clinic in Eziobodo. When the Aba nurse heard the news, she immediately dispatched three women to Eziobodo to retrieve Precious and the baby.
There, the drama unfolded.
Weak and traumatized after delivery, Precious confided in her roommates and friends, revealing the entire plot. Alarmed, they quickly alerted the Umuchima vigilante group, who swung into action. Out of the three women sent from Aba, one was apprehended and handed over to the police, while the others escaped.
When the C-Advocate Team arrived at the police station, the Police confirmed that this was not an isolated case, warning that the area had become a breeding ground for baby trafficking syndicates.
Child trafficking and the sale of newborns have become a growing menace in parts of Owerri West Local Government Area, particularly in communities such as Eziobodo, Umuchima, Umuokpo, Ihiagwa, and their surrounding settlements. What was once whispered in corners has now grown into a disturbing reality, as several young girls, mostly students and vulnerable women, fall prey to traffickers who disguise themselves as nurses, caregivers, or “helpers.”
According to the Divisional Police Officer of Umuchima, Eziobodo Police Division, SP Godwin, who spoke to the Advocacy Team of CSAAE, this crime is increasing at an alarming rate. He lamented that the area is “fast becoming the Ajegunle of Imo State,” describing it as a hotspot for illicit activities targeting unsuspecting and distressed young girls.
SP Godwin revealed that the police receive frequent complaints involving young women who get pregnant out of wedlock and, out of fear of parental backlash or societal judgment, become targets for traffickers. These criminals often pose as nurses and midwives, leading the girls to clinics where newborns are bought and sold under the guise of “help.”
The officer further explained that traffickers dangle large sums of money, sometimes up to ₦1 million per baby, to lure desperate girls. Many of these cases go unreported, allowing the criminal networks to expand quietly across the Owerri West axis.
This alarming trend underscores the urgent need for intense community sensitization, stronger policing, and social support systems to protect vulnerable young girls and prevent the commercialization of innocent lives.
The near sale of Precious’ newborn is not just a personal tragedy; it is a reflection of a deepening societal crisis. Baby factories, teenage pregnancy stigma, trafficking networks, and lack of support for vulnerable girls continue to threaten communities across Owerri West and Imo State at large.
There is an urgent need for,
- Enhanced community awareness
- Collaborative policing
- Support and counselling systems for young girls
- Stricter monitoring of unlicensed birth homes and clinics
- Public education on child protection and trafficking laws
Child trafficking is not a part of our culture. It is a criminal enterprise that must be dismantled before more young girls lose their dignity and more innocent children are stolen into darkness.