In a chilling expose of the commodification of human life, a joint military operation has smashed a human trafficking ring in Calabar, Nigeria, arresting seven suspects moments before they could sell a day-old baby. The infant, a boy, had a price tag of just 3 million Naira (approximately Sh270,000)—the cost of a used car in some markets, but here, the price of a human soul.

Troops from the 13 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, acting on intelligence, stormed the Glorious Amazing Grace Hospital in the Ikot Ekpo area. Inside, they found a transaction in progress that would turn any parent’s stomach. The suspects, six women and one man, were in the final stages of negotiating the sale.

The Merchants of Misery

Major Yemi Sokoya, the Army Public Relations Officer, identified the suspects as Glory Emmanuel (54), Anthony Bassey (35), Uduak John (27), Deborah Edet (35), Ruth Asoquo (35), and Frada Donald (35), all natives of Cross River State, alongside Blessing Okon (23) from Akwa Ibom. "This act constitutes a grave violation of the law and a serious abuse of the fundamental human rights of the child," Sokoya stated.

The raid highlights a disturbing trend of "baby factories" in the region—illicit clinics where vulnerable young women are often coerced or paid to give birth, only for their children to be sold to the highest bidder.

• The Rescue: The baby boy was recovered unharmed and has been handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for care and protection.
• The Investigation: Authorities are now probing the "hospital's" history to determine how many other children may have been funneled through this pipeline of exploitation.

A War on Trafficking

The suspects were handed over to NAPTIP for prosecution. If convicted, they face stiff penalties, but the scars on the community will take longer to heal. The incident serves as a stark reminder that while the military battles insurgents in the north, a different kind of war—one for the dignity of the most innocent—is being fought in the south.

For the rescued baby, life begins with a narrow escape from a dark destiny. For the seven in custody, the law promises a reckoning.