The Ogun State Police Command has raided an alleged “baby factory” operated by a suspected human trafficking and child exploitation syndicate in Mowe, Ogun State, rescuing two pregnant women and four children.
Gatekeepers News reports that the operation, carried out on Monday, was conducted at an uncompleted building on Toluwalase Street, Abaren Village, Mowe, where the suspected syndicate allegedly operated.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Oluborode Opeyemi, deputy spokesperson of the Ogun State Police Command, said six suspects were arrested during the raid.
The suspects were identified as Florence Ogbona, Magdalene Julius, Chidike Egwuonwu, Onyechu Chidike, Stephen Ogbona and Oseni Idaya.
Opeyemi said the operatives rescued two pregnant women, identified as 23-year-old Ilesanmi Foluke, who was seven months pregnant, and 20-year-old Ejekwa Melody, who was eight months pregnant.
“During the raid, operatives safely rescued two pregnant victims: Ilesanmi Foluke ‘f’ (23), a seven-month-old pregnant woman, and Ejekwa Melody ‘f’ (20), an eight-month-old pregnant woman. Four young children, comprising two males and two females, were also recovered from the scene,” the statement said.
According to the police, further intelligence-led operations led officers to a hospital in the Mowe area, where another alleged victim, 26-year-old Blessing Effiong, had given birth to a baby boy on August 20.
The police said the whereabouts of the newborn could not be established while Effiong was receiving medical treatment, leading to the arrest of the attending nurse.
“While the mother was receiving medical treatment, the whereabouts of the newborn child could not be accounted for, prompting the arrest of the attending nurse for failing to locate the infant,” Opeyemi said.
The police said the case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
The investigation, according to the command, will seek to determine the “full extent of the syndicate’s activities”, locate the missing newborn and ensure the prosecution of suspects found culpable.
Opeyemi added that the command would make the outcome of the investigation public.
