NSCDC Busts Alleged Baby Factory in Lagos, Rescues Pregnant Women and Children

Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, have uncovered a baby factory in the Okuju, Ilado area of Badagry, Lagos.

The operation, carried out between Wednesday night and the early hours of Thursday, led to the rescue of 18 pregnant women and 10 children. Two suspects, identified as Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu, were arrested in connection with the illegal facility.
According to reports, the victims were recruited through offers made on Facebook. The arrangement allegedly involved pregnant women agreeing to give up their babies after delivery in exchange for payments ranging from N500,000 to N1.8 million.
The rescued women, aged between 18 and 30, were paraded on Friday at the NSCDC office in Ibereko, Badagry division. Some of them had arrived at the facility with their own children, who were also reportedly being prepared for sale.
Speaking during the parade, the Lagos State NSCDC Commandant, Adedotun Keshinro, said the operation followed three weeks of intelligence gathering. He explained that the suspects operated a system where women were either made pregnant or lured in while already pregnant, with the intention of selling the babies after birth.
“They are operating a baby factory where victims are made pregnant. When the babies are delivered, they are sold,” Keshinro stated.
He added that the suspects convinced the women to surrender their babies after delivery in exchange for financial compensation.
Out of the 18 pregnant women rescued, one had suffered a miscarriage, leaving 17 still carrying pregnancies. Keshinro also revealed that other children found at the facility were already being negotiated for sale.
Describing the operation as a “grievous crime against humanity,” the NSCDC boss said the suspects would be handed over to the police for prosecution, while the victims would be transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for care and rehabilitation.
Items recovered from the facility included a pumping machine, generator, fans, gas cylinders, cooking utensils, mobile phones, mats, toiletries, baby care products, and food items.
On the fate of the property, Keshinro said it would be handed over to the Lagos State Government, which may decide to demolish it to prevent further illegal use.
Speaking to journalists, the main suspect, Joy Okeke, claimed she was involved in arranging adoptions for childless couples. She said she relocated to Badagry from Ikorodu in January in search of a larger apartment and insisted she had only been in operation for a few months.
However, she declined to provide further details about the operation, insisting she would only speak in the presence of her lawyer.
Some of the rescued women told journalists that they willingly joined the facility after reaching agreements online. One said she was promised N1 million, while another said she was offered N1.8 million after delivery.
A victim identified as Joy said she chose the option after becoming pregnant for an “irresponsible man,” adding that she already had two children being cared for by her mother in the village.
The women claimed they were adequately fed, allowed access to their phones, and could request medical attention when needed, but were not free to leave the facility at will. They also noted that leaving before delivery meant forfeiting any payment.
Raphael Agwu, the second suspect, said the women willingly entered into agreements to give up their babies after delivery. He argued that the arrangement provided an alternative to abortion and helped couples seeking children.
He explained that agents operating in online groups often directed pregnant women to the facility, where they agreed to give up their babies in exchange for money.
Agwu maintained that he did not initially view the operation as a serious crime, claiming it served both pregnant women and childless couples.
(Source: Punch)