Dear MIMsters: How Do We Save This Little Girl From Baby Racketeering?
This issue is about baby racketeering is real and has really broken my heart. My aunt, Njideka, in the village who was unfortunate to never get married nor have her own children was given a baby by our distant relation, Nneka, to look after.
Nneka is a distant relative of ours. She told Aunty Njideka that her daughter gave birth to the baby and that both she and her daughter are not interested in keeping the child since the man responsible for the pregnancy was no where to be found. Aunt Njideka accepted the child wholeheartedly and asked for a written agreement but Nneka refused.
She swore on her life that they will never come for that child. That was aunt Njideka’s mistake. She has no legal backing. However, the mother of the baby had once given birth to a baby boy which she sold immediately after birth. Aunt Njideka begged them not to sell this baby and they agreed and gave it to her. My aunt has nurtured this child since she was just a few weeks old till now that she is 2 years old.
A few months ago, Nneka and her wayward daughter, Amuche, came back to my aunty with one man to claim the child. They said that the man is the father of the child but it’s not true. It was just an arrangement to take the child from aunty Njideka and sell her. My aunt refused.
Soon after, she started receiving threats from them. This made her run to us in the city for help in December, last year. We’ve been with this child, Blessing, and we all love her. My mum even planned to celebrate her two years birthday. I often buy nice clothes and shoes for her and she’s so beautiful and intelligent. We even reasoned that the village is not a place to bring up such an amazing child. That even if the case is resolved, we will keep her with us till she gets to a certain age before we send her back to aunt Njideka.
As it turns out, Nneka went to report to our king that my aunt kidnapped her daughter’s baby and our unjust king has asked for the arrest of my aunt. My aunt told the police that they wanted to sell the baby but she rescued her. When the police interrogated Amuche, she confirmed that she indeed sold her first child and the one in her womb, (she’s currently pregnant) has also been sold to a woman in Port Harcourt.
Tell me, isn’t this enough evidence that they would also sell Blessing who they are struggling to take away from us. I’m crying now because our unjust king has bribed the police and the police has judged the case unfairly. They ordered my aunt to release Blessing to them and Blessing’s life will be ruined. I’m heartbroken because the bright future we see in Blessing will be destroyed. Please people how do we (my family and I) save Blessing? She will be 2 years old on the 23rd of this month.
Go to an agency that kicks against these things and report or NGOs that do please. This is sad. Sell a child like a cloth? Smh.