Nigerian Arrested In The Philippines With 9-month-old Baby Sold By Mother To Pay Gambling Debts

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Ifeanyi Okoro, a Nigerian man, and three other women have been apprehended by the police in The Philippines for being in possession of a baby sold off by its mother to pay her gambling debts.

According to a report by The Filipino Times, the mother of the girl had allegedly sold her nine-month-old baby so she could pay her debts incurred during “e-sabong” or online cock­fighting.

The Nigerian alongside three Filipino women – Imelda Malibiran, Kristine Joyce Esdrelon and Rose­marie Guti­er­rez – reportedly bought the baby from her at P45,000 (N500,000 at black market exchange rate).

However, having a change of mind, the 22-year-old mother of the baby sought the help of the NBI in getting the child back.

A complaint was filed by the country’s National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) after the rescue of the baby girl last Tuesday, March 22, in Calamba City, Laguna.

Okoro and Malibiran were arrested by the NBI during the rescue operation. Esdrelon and Guti­er­rez remain at large.

The respondents were charged with kidnapping, child abuse, exploitation/discrimination for other purposes; and trafficking. 

They were tracked down by the NBI’S Anti­human Trafficking Division (NBIAHTRAD) after which the officers recovered the baby from Ifeanyi Okoro and his girlfriend.