A Disturbing Crime Brought to Justice in Cross River State
In a significant victory for anti-trafficking efforts, a couple in Cross River State has been convicted of selling babies on the black market. Esther Ini Udo, 32, and her husband Eyo Stephen Udo, 34, were found guilty of buying and selling babies for exploitation, and have been sentenced to 15 years in prison each by the Federal High Court in Calabar. The sentence, handed down by Justice I. Ojukwu on April 1, 2026, is a result of a four-count charge filed against the couple in March 2025.
According to NAPTIP, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, the couple's crimes involved selling a newborn baby for N300,000 and purchasing a one-year-old baby boy for N150,000 before reselling him for a significant profit. The agency highlighted that the couple's actions were in clear contravention of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act of 2015.
During the trial, the couple pleaded not guilty to the charges, but ultimately faced justice for their crimes. In her verdict, Justice Ojukwu sentenced Esther Udo to 15 years in prison, with an option to pay a fine of N2 million. Her husband, Eyo Udo, received the same sentence, with the same option to pay a fine of N2 million.
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