A baby factory has been discovered in Lagos State with 19 pregnant girls rescued and two suspects held for child trafficking.
Four kids were also rescued.
Two suspects were arrested while another one was said to be on the run. The discovery of the baby factory was made following a tip off.
The police operatives stormed the baby factory located at 14 Adisa Street, Ayanwale area of Ikotun, Lagos State, where some of the pregnant girls were rescued.
Some of the girls were also rescued from three other locations.
The Lagos Police Command announced the discovery of the baby factory in a statement issued by its spokesman, DSP Bala Elkana on Sunday.
The statement reads in full:
On 19/09/2019 at 1600hrs, acting on the strength of information from a reliable source, detectives from Isheri 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.
19 pregnant girls aged 15 and 28 were rescued.
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.
The pregnant women were brought from Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Imo states.
Two suspects namely Happiness Ukwuoma ‘f’ 40 years old and Sherifat Ipeya ‘f’ 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 ‘f’ 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 N300,000 and N500,000 depending on the sex.
Boys are sold for N500,000 and girls for N300,000.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu, mni, 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.
Investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be charged to court.