Police rescues 19 pregnant girls from Lagos ‘baby factory’

Lagos State Police Command Sunday said it rescued 19 pregnant girls from a ‘baby factory’ at Ayanwale area of Ikotun.

Police spokesman Bala Elkana said the arrest was made on September 19.

Elkana disclosed that the pregnant girls are between 15 and 28 years old.

The police spokesman said the two female suspects – 40-year-old Happiness Ukwuoma and 54-year-old Sherifat Ipeya – involved in the scandal were arrested by detectives from Isheri-Osun Police Station led by the Divisional Police Officer, Chike Ibe after receiving information from a reliable source.

The police said the arrested suspects are natives of Imo and Lagos states respectively. Another suspect is on the run, Elkana said.

He disclosed that the pregnant “women were brought from Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Imo states.”

“The Command has launched a manhunt of the principal suspect Madam Oluchi from Mbano, Imo State,” said Elkana.

“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.”

While the girls were allegedly told they would be employed as domestic staff in Lagos before they were held hostage.

“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,” Elkana said.

The police also said they rescued four kids. The kids were recovered from four different locations in connection to the case.

Lagos State police Commissioner Zubairu Muazu has directed the State Criminal Investigation Department to take over the case.