By Ike Uchechukwu, Calabar

The Federal High Court in Calabar has sentenced two individuals for the abduction and attempted sale of a 12-year-old girl in Cross River State.

Justice L.I. Ojukwu delivered the judgment on February 2, 2026, in Charge No. FHC/CA/54C/2025, convicting Patience Nyong Okon, 25, and Michael Peter Ofem, 32, on all four counts.

The case, filed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria on May 22, 2025, was brought under Sections 13(2)(b), 27, and 29 of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act. The defendants were arraigned on June 19, 2025, and initially pleaded not guilty before changing their pleas to guilty on January 28, 2026.

Court proceedings revealed that the convicts, who were in a relationship, transported the victim, identified as Praise Ojating Ichire, from the 8 Miles area of Calabar Municipality. They reportedly used abduction, deception, and exploitation of the child’s vulnerability in an attempt to sell her.

Justice Ojukwu sentenced each of the convicts to 12 months’ imprisonment with an option of a ₦100,000 fine. The sentences are to run concurrently from the date of their arrest.

The court also ordered that the victim be released to her relatives only after proper verification to ensure they are fit and suitable caregivers.

The conviction highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement agencies and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to combat human trafficking and protect vulnerable children in the state.

Source; Vanguard News