Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
A 28-year-old woman, Gift Effiong, has been sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment by the Federal High Court in Calabar, Cross River State, after pleading guilty to charges bordering on human trafficking and the sale of two newborn babies for N1.3 million. The conviction followed her arraignment by the Cross River State Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in a case marked FHC/CA/295C/2025, titled Federal Republic of Nigeria v. Gift Effiong.
Effiong was first charged on November 26, 2025, on a five-count information relating to trafficking in persons and the unlawful sale of infants, contrary to Sections 21, 27 and 13(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act. Prosecutors told the court that she unlawfully trafficked and sold two newborn babies for financial gain, receiving a total of N1.3 million from the transactions.
When the matter came up for hearing before Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie on Wednesday, the defendant admitted guilt to all five counts. Her guilty plea paved the way for immediate sentencing without a full trial. In her judgment, Justice Oghoghorie imposed separate custodial terms and fines for the various counts, ordering that they run concurrently.
The court sentenced Effiong to five years’ imprisonment on the first count. For the second count, she received two and a half years in prison. On the third count, the court imposed two years’ imprisonment in addition to a fine of N250,000. For the fourth count, she was sentenced to two and a half years’ imprisonment. On the fifth count, she received five years’ imprisonment and a fine of N2 million. Although the cumulative total of the individual sentences amounts to 17 years, the court ordered that the terms be served concurrently, resulting in an effective prison term of 17 years.
Justice Oghoghorie also directed NAPTIP officials to intensify efforts to trace and rescue the trafficked infants, underscoring the court’s concern for the welfare and protection of the affected children. The judge emphasised the gravity of child trafficking offences and the need for deterrent punishment to protect vulnerable infants from exploitation.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, which prosecuted the case, has maintained that child trafficking remains a serious criminal offence under Nigerian law, attracting substantial custodial penalties. The agency reiterated its commitment to investigating and prosecuting individuals involved in the sale of children and other forms of human exploitation.
Effiong’s conviction adds to ongoing enforcement efforts against baby trafficking networks in parts of southern Nigeria, where authorities have in recent years recorded cases involving the unlawful sale of infants. Under the Trafficking in Persons Act, offences involving the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of persons for exploitation — including the sale of children — attract severe penalties, particularly where minors are involved.
With the sentencing now delivered, Effiong will serve her prison term as ordered by the court, subject to the administration of correctional authorities. The case highlights the continued vigilance of law enforcement agencies and the judiciary in addressing human trafficking and safeguarding the rights of children under Nigerian law.
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