Calabar woman Gift Effiong bags 17 -year jail term for theft, sale of two babies

By Christian Njoku

A 28-year-old woman, Ms Gift Effiong, has been sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment after she pleaded guilty to charges bordering on human trafficking and sale of two newborn babies for N1.3 million

Effiong was convicted and jailed by the Federal High Court sitting in Calabar on Wednesday.

She was arraigned by the Cross River Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) in a suit Number FHC/CA/295C/2025, between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Gift Effiong.

She was first arraigned on Nov. 26, 2025, on a five-count charge bordering on human trafficking and sale of babies, contrary to Sections 21, 27 and 13(2)(b) of the Trafficking in Persons Act.

Effiong pleaded guilty to all the five counts.

Delivering judgment on the case, Justice Rosemary Oghoghorie, directed NAPTIP operatives to make efforts to rescue the trafficked babies.

Oghoghorie sentenced the defendant to five years imprisonment on count one.

Continuing, she said, “The defendant is further sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment on count two; two years imprisonment and a fine of N250,000 on count three

“On count four and five, the defendant is sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment and five years’ imprisonment in addition to a fine of N2 million respectively.”

She ordered that the sentences run concurrently, bringing the total term to 17 years’ imprisonment. (NAN)