Nine pregnant women have been arrested by operatives of the
Anti-Kidnap Unit of the Rivers State Police Command during their raid of
a suspected baby factory in Umuikpe in Isiala Ngwa South Local
Government Area of Abia State.
The pregnant women, who were members of a baby-making syndicate, were paraded in Port Harcourt on Monday.
According to Punch, they were between the age of 21 and 25 years.
Also arrested was a 68-year-old private security man, John Ndukwe,
who was manning the gate of the baby factory identified as Charity and
Rehabilitation Centre.
The State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ahmad Muhammad, told
newsmen that the arrest of the pregnant women followed the abduction of
a four-year-old boy, Friday Alioma; and a pregnant woman, Happiness
Samuel; in Ogbogoro, Obio/Akpor LGA on May 15 and 16, 2016 respectively.
“Through discreet investigation, one Nkechi Oguama, a native of
Ugiri in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, was arrested
with Ngozi Ogbonna, Blessing Izimanze and Favour Ogbonma in connection
with the abduction.
“They denied kidnapping four-year-old Friday Alioma. But, they
confessed to have known about the kidnap of Hapiness Samuel. Five more
pregnant women, who were suspected members of the syndicate, were also
apprehended through information given to the police by the first group
of suspects.
“The five suspects are Ijeoma Ofor, Chioma Nkeze, Peace Sunday
Matthew, Joy Chisom, Chinyere Monday and the security man, John Ndukwe.
One of the suspects, Ngozi Ogbonna, led a team of Anti-Kidnap Unit to
the Rehabilitation Centre, where the other suspects were arrested.
“On interrogation, all the girls admitted that they went there
to deliver and sell the children. We are still on the trail of the
director,” the state police spokesman said.
He disclosed that the operator of the baby factory, one Mrs. Ama
(surname unknown) was currently on the run, adding that the police were
currently on her trail.
Muhammad stated that the suspects would soon be charge to court,
even as he warned those involved in selling babies to fake charity home
operators to desist from the act.
However, one of the pregnant women, Ngozi Ogbonna, disclosed that
she sold her first baby in 2015 to the operator of the baby factory for
N100,000 shortly after delivery.
“I am into ‘runs’ (prostitution) before I got pregnant and an
agent of the woman (baby factory operator) advised me to go to the
charity home. The woman was taking care of me and other pregnant women.
“My first baby was a girl and I gave her to the woman and collected N100,000 from her,” Ogbonna said in passable English.
Also, the security man arrested alongside the pregnant women told
newsmen that he was not aware that the business the woman was doing was
illegal, maintaining that he was only concerned with receiving his
N20,000 monthly salary.
No comments:
Post a Comment