FIDA Advocates Capital Punishment for Babies’ Hawkers

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has advocated capital punishment to be meted on those caught in the act of selling and buying of babies.

The association, comprising women lawyers, made the call Saturday during an end-of-year party organised for privileged and the less privileged children in Benin City, capital of Edo State.

Edo FIDA Chairperson, Mrs. Maria Edeko, who stated this in her opening address at the party, said children are gifts from God with rights that needed to be protected.

Noting there are more legal means of having children for those unable to have a child of their own, Edeko said the association is mounting a vigorous campaign against hawking of children. She said plans have been concluded by the association to send a document to the National Assembly on the matter.

She said the document to be sent would spell out the punishment for those involved in the act, adding “it would also seek to give legal backing to a more enlightened means of adopting babies”.

According to Edeko, “We can actually adopt children through legal means as being practiced in other countries of the world. In these countries, we have a new jurisprudence which is call surrogacy. You can enter into an agreement with somebody to have a child for you, especially when you are unable to.

“This method or any other legal ones can be adopted instead of hiding behind the markets or lurking around somewhere to buy. The act of selling and buying children is not only a crime, but also against the will of God. Children should be protected, cared for and nurtured by their parents, especially mothers, and not put up for sale.”

Also, Iyom Joshpine Anenih, who chaired the occasion, appealed to parents to always make welfare of their children a top priority.

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