Nineteen pregnant women and four children have been rescued by operatives of the Lagos State Police Command from four baby factories in the state.
Detectives from the command had raided the factories on Thursday, September 19, 2019, around 4pm, following information from a reliable source.
A statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana on Sunday said two suspects, Happiness Ukwuoma and Sherifat Ipeya, were arrested during the raid
However, the principal suspect, identified as Madam Oluchi, ran away after she got information about the raids.
The statement said: “On Thursday, September 19, 2019, around 4pm, acting on the strength of information from a reliable source, detectives from the Isheri Osun Police Station, led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Chike Ibe, stormed a building at No. 14 Adisa Street, Ayanwale area, Ikotun, Lagos, suspected to be used for child trafficking.
“Nineteen pregnant women from the ages of 15 to 28 were rescued and four kids were also rescued. They were all rescued from four different locations – No. 32 Owosho Street, Governor Road, Ikotun; No. 29 Olugbeyohun Street, Olakunle bus stop, Abaranje; No. 4/6 Anomo Street, Abaranje; and No. 14 Adisa Street, Ayanwale area, Ikotun. The pregnant women were brought in from Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Imo states.
“Two suspects, Happiness Ukwuoma, 40; and Sherifat Ipeya, 54, were arrested in connection with the case. The suspects are natives of Imo and Lagos states and did not receive formal medical training, but operate as nurses. The command has launched a manhunt for the principal suspect, Madam Oluchi, from Mbano, Imo State. She is a mother of five.
“The young women were tricked with employment as domestic workers in Lagos and abducted by the suspects for the purpose of getting them pregnant and selling their babies to potential buyers for between N300,000 and N500,000, depending on the sex.”
According to the Police PRO, the state Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, ordered the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department to take over the case after visiting the scene.
He disclosed that the command had been working with other agencies and stakeholders to rehabilitate and resettle the pregnant women and the babies adding that the suspects would be charged once ongoing investigations were concluded.
NAN
