Cameroonian Lawyer Who Bought Week Old Baby From Herbalist for N1.5 Million Arrested While Trying To Leave Nigeria

A lawyer from Cameroon, Mrs Ngala Norgu Julia, has been arrested by men of the Cross River State Command of the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, for allegedly being in possession of a one- week -old baby girl which she claimed she was delivered of by a herbalist at Okitiputa, Ondo State.

Mr Samuel Igochi, the Comptroller of Immigration, Cross River State Command, said Ngala was arrested by the Intelligence and Investigation Team of the Service at the Calabar port while trying to smuggle the baby to Cameroon. "She claimed a herbalist in Okitikpupa, Ondo State gave her some herbs which she took in November 2012 after which she got pregnant and delivered the baby but there are no signs in her that she actually delivered that baby", Ogochi said.

According to him, a team was constituted to examine her but, after due examination, there were no signs that she actually delivered the baby.

"Since the 1st of September 2013 which she gave as the date for her delivery, her breasts were not able to produce milk as is always the case with every birth which is quite unusual", the NIS boss stated.

"She then said she paid the sum of N1.5 million to the woman who delivered her of the baby . Why such a whooping sum for just delivery which is not by Caesarean process?".

He said the child would be handed over to the National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons, NATIP, for upkeep till the determination of the case since the NIS is not a baby factory. "Taking care of such a baby is very expensive and time demanding and since the Nigerian Immigration Service is not equipped to handle such responsibility, we will hand over the child like the one we had two weeks ago to NAPTIP in Uyo"

Ngala, who was accompanied by another Cameroonian lady, Mrs Mende Cecila Fru, said she heard about the Okitipupa clinic assisting women to deliver children supernaturally and so she had to borrow money and came to Nigeria to consult the woman and she was given herbal medicine which she took and and got pregant.

"When I heard that the woman was helping women without children to deliver babies, I borrowed money here and there and came to Nigeria and she gave me herbal medicine and when I went back I met my partner and I became pregnant".

According to her, out of the sum of 1N.5 million she paid to the clinic N277.000 was for the herbs to enable her become pregnant while 1 .2 million was for delivery of the baby. "She told me the delivery was supernatural, so I should not visit any orthodox medicine when I am about to deliver, that I should go to Okitipupa and truly when I got there, after nine days, she took me to a room and delivered me of the baby".

She said she was asked to lie on the floor while somebody exerted pressure on her stomach while she was asked to push and the baby came out and fell on the floor . " The woman then beat the child three times on the back and the child began to cry and I was asked to stand up".

Mrs Fru, who accompanied Ngala, on her part, said she did not go inside the room where the baby was delivered but sat in the parlour and when she heard a baby cry, "They took me inside and I saw the child still covered with blood and I was very happy for my friend for the successful delivery of her baby".