19 pregnant girls rescued by the Police in ‘illegal’ Lagos baby factory

Operatives of Lagos State Police Command have rescued 19 pregnant women at a baby factory in Ikotun area of the state.

The victims were between the ages of 15 and 28.

They were separately kept at four different hideouts in Ikotun where their babies were forcefully taken from them after delivery.

The police in a statement made available to Journalist on Sunday in Lagos by Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Bala Elkana, a Deputy Superintendent of Police said they were rescued while acting on information from a reliable source.

He said officers from Ishiri Osun Police Station led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Chike Ibe , a Chief Superintendent of Police stormed a building at no 14 adisa street Ayanwale area ikotun Lagos, suspected to be used for child trafficking and rescued the 19 pregnant girls.

He said that, the four kids rescued were recovered from four different locations which includes: No 32 Owosho Street, Governor Road, Ikotun ; No 29 Olugbeyohun Street, Olakunle Bus Stop Abaranja; No 4/6 Anomo Street.

Some of the expectant mothers were lured from their home states to Lagos with promises of good paying factory jobs which did not turn out to be the case.

Although some of the expectant mothers knew their babies will be sold, others were forcefully separated from their babies.

According to Elkana, most of the victims were not given a dime following the sale of their babies by the syndicate.

Elkana said the victims were brought from Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Cross River, Abia and Anambra states, adding that two suspects – Happiness Ukwuoma, 40 and Sherifat Ipeya, 54, were arrested in connection with the case.

“The suspects did not receive formal medical training but operate as nurses. They were linked to natives of Imo and Epe, Lagos States respectively,” Elkana said.

Command has also launched a manhunt of the principal suspect Madam Oluchi, from Mbano, Imo State.

“She is a mother of five and 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 respectively,” Elkana said.

Investigation is currently ongoing and the suspects will be charged to court soon.