The Abia State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has rescued two young women from a baby factory in Aba where they were kept to produce babies for sale.
The women identified as Miss Doris Nelson, 23, from Gombe State and Miss Winner Ugochukwu from Ihitte Uboma in Imo State were freed.
The owner of the baby factory, Nnanna Michael, 64, was arrested during the operation carried out over the weekend.
Abia State Commandant of NSCDC, Usman Ishaq Alfadarai told journalists in Umuahia that the successful operation was carried out following credible intelligence, adding that Michael was using his residence as a baby factory.
“In his confessional statement, Mr. Michael, a father of four and a former worker at a motherless home, admitted to harbouring pregnant women, taking care of them until delivery, and then selling their babies,” Alfafarai said.
By the time the NSCDC personnel raided the residence where the young women were kept, Doris had given birth to a baby girl on September 9, 2024 while Winner is carrying a seven month pregnancy.
Michael was said to have revealed that soon after Doris gave birth, the baby was sold for N1.1 million out of which Michael paid her N100,000 as part payment of N500, 000 promised her for producing the baby.
According to the Commandant, it was discovered that Doris was brought from Abuja to the baby factory in Aba through an agent identified as Miracle. Winner on her part was introduced to the operator by one Evangelist First Samuel, an Aba resident, who is now at large.
Alfadarai further stated that preliminary investigations revealed that “Mr. Michael has been in this illicit business for a long time, where he has been leveraging on his contacts from his previous work experience at a motherless home to find both buyers and sellers”.
He said that the child trafficker had “admitted to selling one baby last year and two babies this year” before his arrest on September 14, 2024.
“On this note, we will like to make it very clear, that the NSCDC Abia State Command is committed to uncovering all individuals involved in this syndicated operation and we will continue to pursue Mr. Michael’s accomplices,” the Commandant said.
He vowed that “we remain resolute in bringing all the perpetrators of these heinous crimes to justice and ensuring we put an end to such practices”.
Meanwhile, the Abia NSCDC Command has said that “upon conclusion of our investigation, the case will be transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which is statutorily empowered to prosecute these offences”.
This was made known in a statement issued by the public relations officer of the Command, Doreen Udugwu, ASC II, saying that parents should take responsibility for the proper upbringing of their children.
She noted that this latest busting of a baby factory “showcases the failure of some families in safeguarding their children from such criminal elements” that engage in keeping young women to breed babies for sale.
“We equally urge members of the general public to be vigilant and provide us with credible intelligence of any suspicious activities within their surroundings,” the PRO said.
She further urged the public to make inquiries or give information to the NSCDC Abia State Command through its hotline 07072407755.
Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo
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