The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the National Assembly and the Federal Executive Council to declare a national emergency over the operation of baby factories and the trafficking of children in the country.

The group described the proliferation of baby factories as a “disgraceful indictment” of Nigeria’s failure to enforce human rights and child protection laws.

This follows the recent rescue of 16 pregnant girls and eight children from a baby factory in Abia State earlier this month. In a statement issued yesterday by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA said, “It is shocking and reprehensible that in the 21st century, Nigeria is still battling the medieval horror of baby factories where girls as young as 17 are raped, held hostage, and used as vessels to supply children to desperate buyers.”

HURIWA revealed that over 200 underground baby factories have been discovered and shut down by security agencies in the last five years.

However, the practice continues to thrive, particularly in southeastern states such as Abia, Lagos, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.

“These criminal facilities masquerade as private medical clinics, yet they are centres of unspeakable human rights violations, where victims are sexually exploited, emotionally tortured, and trafficked.

We demand that the federal government declare a national emergency on child trafficking and illegal adoptions. Anything less is unacceptable,” the group stated.

HURIWA called on the National Assembly to amend the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act and the Child Rights Act to impose life imprisonment as the minimum sentence for perpetrators, collaborators, and beneficiaries of baby factories.

“This is a national shame and a moral catastrophe. The law must reflect the gravity of the offense. Those who violate the bodily autonomy and dignity of these girls and trade in the lives of innocent children must never be allowed to walk free. We are calling for capital-grade legal sanctions, including life imprisonment without the possibility of parole,” Onwubiko declared.

The group highlighted poverty, ignorance, broken family structures, social stigma on childlessness, and weak law enforcement as root causes of the problem. It urged the government to address these issues through deliberate and well-funded policies.

HURIWA also called on President Bola Tinubu to direct the Ministries of Women Affairs, Humanitarian Affairs, and Justice to collaborate on a national strategy to end child trafficking. The group encouraged first ladies across all 36 states to lead sensitisation campaigns to protect vulnerable girls.

“Beyond the punitive, we need preventative. There must be massive investments in education, social support, and healthcare to reduce the vulnerability of young women. More safe houses, functional rehabilitation centres, and community-led monitoring must be established across hotspots,” Onwubiko added.

HURIWA reiterated that the sale and trafficking of children are crimes against humanity, adding, “The era of impunity must end. Let it be known that HURIWA will never be silent in the face of modern-day slavery and barbarism. We demand justice for every child sold and every girl violated. We demand accountability from the Nigerian state. Enough is enough.”

The group urged Nigerians to support legislative reforms, donate to rescue missions, and report suspicious activities in their communities. It emphasised that the safety and dignity of Nigeria’s children must become a non-negotiable national priority.