Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Lagos Police Command has uncovered a baby factory where babies are sold between N300,000 to N500,000.
The Lagos State commissioner of police, CP Zubairu Muazu, who made the discovery said 19 pregnant girls were rescued and two suspects arrested for child trafficking.
According to the spokesperson of the command, DSP Bala Elkana, “our operatives were acting on the strength of information from a reliable source, and the detectives from Ishiri Osun Police Station led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Chike Ibe stormed a building at no 14 adisa street Ayanwale area ikotun Lagos, suspected to be used for child trafficking”
Elkana stated that the 19 pregnant girls aged between 15 and 28 were rescued and that four kids were also rescued.
“They were recovered from four different locations. They include: No 32 Owosho Street, Governor Road, Ikotun; No 29 Olugbeyohun Street, Olakunle Bus Stop Abaranja; No 4/6 Anomo Street, Abaranja and the address mentioned above”
“While the pregnant women were brought from Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Imo States respectively. Two suspects namely Happiness Ukwuoma ‘female’ 40 years old and Sherifat Ipeya ‘female’ 54 years old were arrested in connection with the case”
The suspects did not receive formal medical training but operate as nurses. The suspects are natives of Imo and Epe, Lagos States respectively.
The Command has launched a manhunt of the principal suspect Madam Oluchi ‘female’ from Mbano, Imo State. She is a mother of five.
“The young women were mostly abducted by the suspects for the purpose of getting them pregnant and selling the Babies to potential buyers. The girls were tricked with employment as domestic staff in Lagos”
“The Babies are sold between #300,000 and #500,000 depending on the sex. Boys are sold for N500,000 and girls for #300,000 and the Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Muazu has visited the scene and ordered the State Criminal Investigation Department to take over the case”
The Command is working with other Agencies and stakeholders in rehabilitating and resettling the pregnant girls and the Babies and investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be charged to Court.