Police arrests 9 pregnant women in Nigeria baby factory raid

Nigeria – A baby factory (where pregnant women are made to stay, have their babies and put them up for sale) was recently discovered in Enugu state following a police raid on June 11th, 2016.

According to the country’s local authorities, the baby factory located at Etiti Amankwo, Ngwo, 9th Mile, in Udi local government area, was being operated by one Ikechukwu Onoh.

A total of nine pregnant women were arrested, some of who claimed had been rape victims who had gotten pregnant after their ordeal and couldn’t go home to their parents.

Naija.com reports that the owner of the factory claimed that he got a provisional approval in October 2007 from ministry of women affairs and social development Enugu State to admit and shelter pregnant women in his hospital called ‘Tex Hospital and maternity home’, and that the hospital is no longer functional, hence he is now running the home from his house.

Enugu state police spokesperson, Mr Ebere Amaraizu said that the pregnant women who are between the ages of 17-24 years, are helping the police with their investigation.

Common crime in Nigeria

Some of the women report that they ran from home to escape the stigma of having unwanted pregnancies they cannot take care of.

But, other reports suggest some women have been kidnapped and forcibly impregnated by traffickers.

Buyers are mostly couples who are unable to have their own children. Male babies fetch more money than female babies.

Couples looking for children should go through the legal adoption process.

It is illegal to buy or sell children in Nigeria. Human trafficking, including the selling of children, is the third most common crime after fraud and drug trafficking, according to the United Nations.

marvin@ugchristiannews.com