Man jailed five years for selling child for N10m

A Niger State magistrate court sitting in Minna,
the state capital, has sentenced one Isah Aliyu
to five years imprisonment for intending to sell
his 9-year-old child for N10m. The 30-year-old man attributed his action to
poverty. The incident occurred on November 15 when
the buyer, one Mallam Magaji, agreed to buy
the child for N7 million.
But the buyer promised to pay half of the
money and balance at a later date. The father
of the child was said to have refused because of his desperation to collect the N7 million at
once. After the negotiation, the father agreed to the
half payment but, instead of bringing the
money, the buyer headed for the police station
to report the deal.

The police then followed Magaji to the meeting
place and arrested Aliyu who was still waiting
for the money so that he could hand over his
son. Aliyu was charged to court under the
clause prohibiting selling of child in the Niger
State Child’s Right Act. Aliyu pleaded guilty and was summarily
sentenced to five years imprisonment by Chief
Magistrate Hassan Mohammed. When asked why he intended to sell his son,
the convict said, “The poverty in the country is
biting and things are difficult for me and my
family. I felt since the boy was under my
custody and he is my son, I could sell him and
use the money to cater for the rest of the family.” The Chief Magistrate described his reason as
inhuman, adding that poverty was not a strong
reason for the father to sell his son. He sentenced Aliyu to five years imprisonment
without option of fine.