Wife Reveals How Hubby Sold Their Only Child to Barren Woman

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Ijeoma Ndoku, a 28-year-old Nigerian woman, has alleged her Liberian husband, Daniel Barnney, sold their nine-month old baby, Emmanuel, for N250, 000.

According to The Nation, she claims she had been suspecting him since last year November after his employer told her about his plans to sell their baby and flee to Ghana.

Ijeoma said,

“He said he wanted to hand the baby over to his aunt, to care of. I said it was okay since his aunt was now in Nigeria. I said it will give me opportunity to look for a job and support the family because he has not been taking care of us.

For over three months, he has been saying he does not have money to take care of me and my baby but he usually had money to buy drinks and cigarettes. He could not even bring out N150 for me to buy pampers for our baby. Even when I wanted to take the baby to the hospital, I usually went and borrowed money, other times; our neighbours will give me money to carter for the baby.

He used to get drunk and vomit. When I complained, he would bring out iron rod and hit it on my head. I fell down once, tried to go and open the door, but he dragged me back.

I didn’t know his plan was to sell our baby. I said I wanted to see his aunt. He said if the aunt knows that I am around, she wouldn’t collect the baby. He asked me if I wanted the baby to die, I said no.

Then, I told him that he should give me her phone number if he doesn’t want me to see her. He gave me a number which I called severally but it was not going through. I confronted him one day that the number wasn’t his aunt’s, he said his aunt had just travelled outside the country that was why I couldn’t get her.

…I had made up my mind that I wouldn’t give her the baby unless I saw his aunt face to face. And since Daniel has been complaining that they didn’t pay him salary, I told him that I would take my baby to his madam, so that she would give us at least half of his salary.

He said if I go, I would create more problems for him. One Sunday, we were going to church, when a woman in a jeep gave us lift. She was his boss. I told Daniel, that I must go and see her, but he said no.

I told Daniel’s friend. I tried to trace the woman’s address, but Daniel’s friend said I shouldn’t go to meet the woman. He said I should contact her through her fliers. He said I should search Daniel’s bag, that I’ll see the flyer. I saw one and contacted her. She told me where to meet her and I went there.

She told me that Daniel was planning to sell my son for N150, 000. She said that Daniel said after selling the baby, he would leave for Ghana. I didn’t believe her.

The woman said I should come back around 4pm, so that I would hear the story from some of her assistants. I told Daniel’s friend. He doubted the story too, so he followed me.

It was in his presence that the woman told us everything. She said she became curious and concerned after she noticed Daniel was always with the baby. When she asked, Daniel told her that I abandoned the baby and ran away. She asked for my number, so that she could speak to me, but Daniel refused. That was when she knew Daniel was hiding something…She said that was part of the reason she withheld his salary.

So, Daniel’s friend said we should go to the police station to report. When I got home, I told Daniel what his madam said, his friend also confirmed it but my husband ran from home again.

He ran away in November, but we used to speak on phone. He claimed he was in Port Harcourt. I told him to send us money that the baby was sick but he never did until January 18, when he sent N5, 000. Because Emmanuel was sick, I immediately took him to the hospital even though the money wasn’t enough.

I have been keeping my baby in a day care where I pay N500 daily since he fled. I did it to enable me do petty trading and I pick him up in the night.

On January 29, he called again around 2pm that he wanted to come and see his baby. When he came, I took him to the day care I used to keep our son. He went ahead, while I packed my wares. When I got home, our neighbours were happy for me; they said Daniel was back. They said I shouldn’t quarrel with him. They said I should forgive and forget.

He later gave me money that I should go and buy things for the baby. Because I was suspecting him, I said we should wait until Monday. But he noticed and now said that we should go together if I was thinking he would hurt his child.

I said okay. I wanted to strap the baby to my back, but Daniel said no. He said he would carry the baby. It was as though we were struggling over the baby. And we were outside. People were looking at us. So, I allowed Daniel to have his way.

We mounted the same bike. He said I should go and buy milk for the baby. I got down from the motorbike, but when I turned back, I didn’t know when Daniel left with my baby. I searched for him and called him severally, his phone was switched off. Everyone started calling him. When we finally got him, he said he was in Anambra State.

I said it was a lie. He couldn’t be in Anambra state around 11pm, with my baby. He said if I wanted to see my son, I should come to Port Harcourt. I said okay. When I got to the park, I called him to give me address, that I was at the park, about to board bus, he said he would call me when he’s ready and then he ended the call. I tried to call him again, but he had switched off.

I was worried and I called his father, he said he hadn’t seen Daniel. On February, 9, I called Daniel, he said I should never call him again. I called 15 times and when he finally picked, he placed the phone next to a radio. I was speaking to a radio or television. That was how I went back to the police station where I had reported the matter earlier.”
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Daniel, 32, was arrested at Mile two on February 12, by operatives of the Festac Police Division, after selling the baby to Ekah Richard, a 43-year-old woman said to be barren, for N250, 000.

A pastor, Samuel Osavitu, and a worker at an orphanage home identified as Alhaji Sunkanmi Adamu who aided the illegal transaction, were also arrested.

However, he denied selling the baby, adding that the N250,000 he received was given to him to start a business. He also insisted that his wife abandoned the baby and since he could not carter for him alone, he decided to take him where someone will look after him, while he visits regularly.

The woman who adopted the baby also claimed she never knew the adoption process was illegal. She said,

“Pastor Sammy is a friend, I met him in Satellite town. He knows my situation…I have been wanting to have a child of my own for over eight years without success. So, he suggested that I should adopt and I agreed with the idea. I asked him if he knew an orphanage home and he said there was a guy who works at an orphanage he knows and would ask him how to go about it.

He later said he had contacted the guy and that he would give the guy my number so that we would be discussing.

Around November ending, the orphanage guy (Sukanmi Adamu) called me. He said there was a baby for adoption. He said the father of the baby was a Liberian. That he wanted to give the baby out and travel. He told me the Liberian guy was living at Ajah and I insisted I wanted to see him.

I went over there to see him. He said he would collect money from me, but that he would be coming from time to time to check on the baby. He asked for N250, 000, I gave him and he handed the baby over to me. He gave me the baby in January. It was a baby boy.

But surprisingly on February 12, Pastor Sammy called me in the evening and said the owners of the baby wanted him back. The transaction and handing over of the baby took place in front of the orphanage home. The father gave me the baby, collected the money and left.

When pastor Sammy told me, I said ok. So, policemen came to my place with the pastor and I handed over the baby to them but they said I should follow them. I didn’t know the procedure of adoption. That was why I called Pastor Sammy. I’m a trader. I sell fabrics. This mistake will not come again. I will follow the right way…”