Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have busted an alleged baby factory in the Mowe area of the state, rescuing two pregnant women and four children.
Six suspects, including a nurse, were arrested in connection with the alleged human trafficking and illegal adoption activities uncovered at the facility.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
According to him, the operation was carried out at about 8am on Monday, August 24, at Toluwalase Street, Abaren Village, via Gbarinmole, Mowe, following sustained intelligence on activities suspected to involve human trafficking and illegal adoption.
Babaseyi identified the rescued pregnant women as Ilesanmi Foluke, 23, who was seven months pregnant, and Ejekwa Melody, 20, who was eight months pregnant.
He said the police also rescued four children, comprising two boys and two girls, during the operation.
The six suspects arrested were identified as Florence Glory Ogbona, 58; Magdalene Julius, 63; Chidike Egwuonwu, 40; Onyechu Chidike, 35; Stephen Ogbona, 39; and an attending nurse, Oseni Kusamotu Idaya.
The police spokesperson said further intelligence gathered during the operation led detectives to a hospital within the Mowe axis, where another alleged victim, 26-year-old Blessing Bright Effiong, had reportedly delivered a baby boy on August 20.
He said Effiong was found receiving medical treatment at the hospital, but the whereabouts of her newborn remained unknown.
“The whereabouts of the newborn child could not be accounted for, prompting the arrest of the attending nurse in locating the infant,” Babaseyi said.
The command said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
According to the police, detectives would investigate the full extent of the alleged syndicate’s activities, locate the missing newborn and ensure that anyone found culpable faces prosecution.
The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Bode Ojajuni, commended the officers involved in the operation and reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling human trafficking, child trading and other forms of violent crime.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide the police with credible information that could assist in preventing criminal activities.
The command also assured residents that it would sustain intelligence-led policing aimed at protecting lives and property across the state.
