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.
*Court
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.

it shoulda been a death sentence