Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos State Command, have dismantled a suspected baby factory operating in the Badagry axis of Lagos, following an overnight operation that extended from Wednesday into the early hours of Thursday.
The raid took place in Okuju, Ilado, where authorities rescued 18 pregnant women and 10 children believed to have been held at the facility. Two suspects, identified as Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu, were arrested in connection with the operation.
The Lagos State Commandant of the NSCDC, Adedotun Keshinro, disclosed details of the operation during a public parade of the suspects and victims at the Command’s office in Badagry. He explained that the raid was the result of actionable intelligence gathered over a three-week period.
According to Keshinro, the facility was allegedly used to exploit vulnerable women through a system in which pregnancies were facilitated and newborns subsequently sold.
“They are operating a baby factory where victims are made pregnant. When the babies are delivered, they are sold.
“The suspects entice the victims who are pregnant to come and negotiate with them that when they deliver the babies, the babies will be taken from them and they’ll be paid off.
“When they deliver the babies, the babies will be taken from them to be sold to their customers, and the victims will be paid off.
“There are 18 victims who are fully pregnant, but one of them had a miscarriage. So, 17 of them are currently carrying pregnancies. And there are other babies there who are grown, and they are also here on negotiation to be sold to interested buyers.
“We will hand over the place (a big flat containing many rooms) to the state government. The state government may decide to demolish the place so that they will not be able to continue to use it for that activity.”
Some of the rescued women revealed that they had entered into agreements with the operators, with promises of payments ranging from ₦1 million to ₦1.8 million after delivery.
Authorities confirmed that the suspects will be transferred to the police for prosecution, while the victims will be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for care, rehabilitation, and further investigation.
Meanwhile, one of the suspects, Joy Okeke, denied wrongdoing, claiming the operation involved child adoption services.
“We are adopting children to give to those who don’t have children. I have been doing this for some months.
“I moved here from Ikorodu in search of a bigger apartment. We were in Ikorodu before. We are two operating this place.”
She declined to provide further details, stating:
“I can talk further when my lawyer is here. I don’t want to talk anymore.
“If you are interrogating me, my lawyer should be present.”
