Police uncover baby factory in Anambra

Anambra State Police Command has uncovered a baby factory
where women with unwanted pregnancies are harboured till
delivery, after which the babies are sold to interested buyers,
with or without their mothers’ consents.
Consequently, the suspected owner of the baby factory has
been arrested and detained by the police for allegedly selling
one of the new born babies for N700,000, without the
mother’s consent.
A source said the suspect, who is from Imo State, whose
name was withheld by the police for security reasons, was
alleged to have opened a maternity home at Odekpe in Ogbaru
Local Government Area of Anambra State where she nurtured
the babies after birth and then sell them to prospective
buyers.
The source hinted that the deal that landed her in police
custody started on August 27 when a baby boy was born.
According to the source, the suspect had on August 28, a day
after the delivery, sent Adaku, mother of the baby, to a nearby
compound to fetch a gallon of water to bath the baby, which
she obeyed.
Disappearing act
It was gathered that on returning from the errand, she
discovered that the suspect had disappeared with her baby.
It was gathered that several phone calls she made to find out
the whereabout of the suspect were futile as her line was
switched off.
The source stated that when the suspect eventually showed
up about a week later without the baby and was confronted by
Adaku, she simply asked her to allow her to rest.
The suspect was later arrested by the police for another
offence. When she was released from custody and was
confronted again by Adaku, she replied: “Can’t you see I am
just returning from police custody?”
It was also learnt that it was at this point that Adaku
contacted one of her cousins who lodged a complaint at Police
Area Command Headquarters, Onitsha, and the suspect was
arrested.
She confessed to the police that she had sold the baby to
someone at Obosi for N700,000, after which she took the
police to Obosi where the baby boy was recovered.
The Police Area Commander for Onitsha, Benjamin Wordu, an
Assistant Commissioner of Police who confirmed the arrest,
said he had just transferred the matter to the State Criminal
Investigations Department, CID, Awka, for further
investigations.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Uche Ezeh,
also confirmed the arrest to newsmen in a telephone chat,
adding that the suspect would be charged to court after
investigations.
He also disclosed that the baby boy had been released to his
mother.