A Federal High Court in Calabar has sentenced a couple, Emmanuel Okechukwu Ogbodo and Peace Ufeabuchi Nnamonu to five years in prison each for attempting to sell their one-year-old son.
The couple reportedly planned to sell the child for ₦800,000 before the intended buyer alerted NAPTIP.
Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie delivered the convictions after the couple pleaded guilty to conspiracy and attempted child trafficking.
A couple in Calabar, Cross River State, have been sentenced to five years in prison each after attempting to sell their one-year-old son for ₦800,000.
The Federal High Court handed down the sentences on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, following the conviction of couple , Emmanuel Okechukwu Ogbodo, 28, and his partner, Peace Ufeabuchi Nnamonu, 22, on charges of conspiracy and attempted child trafficking.
How the court sentenced the couple
Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie convicted the couple after they pleaded guilty to the two charges brought against them.
The charges were filed on October 12 and read to the defendants on November 3
On the first count of conspiracy, the court sentenced each defendant to five years in prison. They also received two-and-a-half-year sentences each on the second count of attempted child trafficking.
However, the judge ordered that both sentences should run concurrently, meaning the couple will serve them at the same time rather than one after the other.
The court also directed that their prison terms should begin from the dates they were arrested.
How NAPTIP stopped the attempted child sale
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Cross River Command, disclosed that the attempted sale was stopped after the intended buyer reported the matter to the agency.
The buyer’s decision to alert NAPTIP helped prevent the planned transaction and led to the couple’s arrest and subsequent prosecution.
The convictions were secured under Sections 27 and 29 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition, Enforcement and Administration) Act, 2015.
Meanwhile, A fake pastor allegedly organised a prayer session in Uromi, Edo State, before disappearing with worshippers’ mobile phones.
The alleged pastor reportedly instructed everyone to bring their phones and place them together before making his unexpected exit.
The bizarre incident has sparked hilarious and critical reactions on social media, with Nigerians questioning the worshippers’ decision.
A supposed prayer meeting in Uromi, Edo State, has reportedly turned into a shocking phone robbery after a man posing as a pastor allegedly disappeared with the congregation’s mobile phones.
The man reportedly gathered members of the community for prayers and instructed them to bring their phones along. However, instead of leading the worshippers through a spiritual session, he allegedly made away with their devices, leaving them with an unexpected lesson.
How the alleged pastor reportedly disappeared with the phones
According to the account shared online, the incident happened after the supposed pastor invited members of the community to a prayer gathering.
Rather than asking the worshippers to keep their belongings safely, he reportedly instructed everyone to bring out their mobile phones while the prayers were ongoing.
The unsuspecting participants allegedly followed his instructions and gathered their devices at the designated spot
However, the man reportedly took advantage of the situation and quietly disappeared with the phones.
The incident has since attracted attention online, with many Nigerians expressing disbelief over how a religious gathering allegedly became an opportunity for theft.
However, Newsflashngr has not been able to get the details about the man’s identity, the exact date of the incident, the number of phones stolen and whether he has been arrested.
Nigerians react to the shocking prayer meeting
The story has triggered different reactions on X, with some users making jokes about the incident while others criticised the worshippers for trusting the supposed pastor with their valuables. Continue reading here.
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