The Ondo State Police Command has uncovered a suspected baby factory and human trafficking syndicate operating in Ore, Odigbo Local Council Area of the state.

The illegal operation, which had reportedly been running for some time, was allegedly selling babies for between ₦400,000 and ₦600,000.

Police spokesperson, Olayinka Ayanlade, said the operation was uncovered following a report by a 17-year-old victim, Vivian Peter, who told officers at the Ore Division that she had been trafficked from Akwa Ibom to Ore under the pretext of being offered a job.
“Upon her arrival in Ore, she was taken to a supposed clinic that later turned out to be a baby factory, where she met other pregnant girls being held for exploitation,” Ayanlade said.
“She revealed that the owner of the facility, identified as one Ada Clement, later instructed that she be taken to another hospital in Ore for a medical scan. However, she managed to escape and reported the case to the police.”

Acting on the report, operatives from the Ore Division, in collaboration with the Gender Unit, raided the facility and rescued five pregnant girls and a baby boy.
“It was discovered that one of the victims had already given birth and is receiving postnatal treatment at the General Hospital, Ore, while the others are in the safe custody of the police,” Ayanlade added.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the prime suspect, Ada Clement, and her accomplices confessed to operating a baby factory where young pregnant girls were kept until delivery. The babies were then sold for ₦400,000 and above for female children and ₦600,000 and above for male children.

In reaction, the Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, ordered a comprehensive and discreet investigation to ensure that all members of the syndicate are apprehended and prosecuted.

He also confirmed that efforts were ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the trafficking ring, who are currently being tracked by detectives from the Command’s Gender-Based Violence Unit.