Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos State Command, have busted a baby factory in Okuju, Ilado, Badagry area of Lagos State, rescuing 18 pregnant women and 10 children, and arresting the operators of the facility, Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu.
The PUNCH reported that the victims, aged between 18 and 30, were said to have subscribed to the facility via an offer on a Facebook platform. Upon delivery, their children were sold, and they were paid between N500,000 and N1.8 million.
Parading the victims at the NSCDC office in Badagry on Friday, the Commandant of the Lagos State NSCDC, Adedotun Keshinro, said operatives swooped on a building containing many rooms housing the victims following actionable intelligence that lasted three weeks.
“They are operating a baby factory where victims are made pregnant. When the babies are delivered, they are sold. The suspects entice pregnant victims to come and negotiate with them that when they deliver the babies, the babies will be taken from them, and they will be paid off,” Keshinro said.
One of the 18 victims suffered a miscarriage. Keshinro said the operators had committed a “grievous crime against humanity” and would be handed over to the police for prosecution, while the victims would be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
Speaking with journalists, Okeke, the chief operator, said she arrived at the Badagry location in January from Ikorodu in search of a bigger apartment, claiming they were “adopting children to give to those who don’t have children.”
Agwu, who works as a housekeeper, said the women came on their own and signed agreements to deliver their babies for sale. He claimed some childless couples seek to adopt children from the facility.
“I didn’t see it as a big crime because my thinking is they are helping some childless couples,” he said.
Some of the victims admited they subscribed to the centre after negotiating online that they would surrender their babies upon delivery and be paid. One woman said she opted for the facility because she got pregnant for an “irresponsible man,” while another said she was promised N1.8 million.
The women claimed they were well fed daily and allowed to use their phones, but were not allowed to leave the facility at will. Among items retrieved were a pumping machine, a generator set, phones, and assorted food items.
