Air Peace crew members have foiled an attempt by two Nigerian women to traffic a three-month-old baby boy on the airline’s Lagos-Banjul flight.
The airline said the suspected traffickers were exposed mid-flight on Monday, when its crew members noticed a baby crying continuously.
It was gathered that attempts by one of the suspected traffickers, who claimed to be the baby’s mother, to pacify him failed and when the crew members suggested to the suspected trafficker to breastfeed the baby, she declined.
The airline said the crew suspected that the baby was either stolen or being trafficked when the woman, who claimed to be his mother asked for water from the crew , started fidgeting while giving the baby the water.
The crew summoned the alleged traffickers to the back of the aircraft for questioning, and they allegedly confessed that the baby was born through a surrogacy arrangement.
The airline said, “Dissatisfied with the alleged mother’s response, the crew notified Air Peace team at the Banjul International Airport in The Gambia of the development. When the flight landed in Banjul, Air Peace staff accosted the two alleged traffickers, who were separately questioned. They gave conflicting accounts of how they came about the baby.
“Air Peace staff members in Banjul, quickly called for the intervention of Banjul International Airport Police Station in The Gambia and the suspected traffickers were promptly arrested.”
It added that medical tests conducted by security operatives in Banjul showed no relationship between the baby and the woman who claimed to be his mother while the two women later claimed that the baby was being taken to his father in Banjul.
The alleged father later told security operatives that the baby was his.
He, however, could not provide documents at the police station in Banjul to prove his claim, the airline said.
It added that The Gambia Police rejected the alleged father’s decision to have a DNA test done in Nigeria rather than in Banjul.
The airline added, “The alleged mother of the baby again changed her account at the police station in Banjul, claiming that the baby was handed over to her by a distant relation who got pregnant for a man she could not identify.
“The alleged traffickers have been granted bail by the police in Banjul while investigation is still ongoing and the baby has been transferred to SOS Child Care Centre in Bakothe, The Gambia for care pending conclusion of investigation.”
Air Peace Corporate Communications Manager, Mr. Chris Iwarah, said the matter was also being investigated by relevant security agencies in Nigeria.
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