The Ondo State Police Command has uncovered a suspected baby factory in Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, arresting one Ada Clement, alleged to be the operator of the illegal facility.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the command’s spokesperson, SP Olayinka Ayanlade, police operatives rescued five pregnant underage girls from the facility, where babies were allegedly sold for between ₦400,000 and ₦600,000, depending on gender.
“Female babies were sold for ₦400,000 and above, while male babies were sold for ₦600,000 and above,” Ayanlade said, adding that one of the victims had already delivered a baby boy before the rescue operation.
The operation followed a report filed by a 17-year-old victim, Vivian Peter, from Ikot Ekpan, Akwa Ibom State, who told police she had been trafficked to Ore under the pretense of getting a job.
Upon arrival, she was taken to what was described as a “clinic,” which later turned out to be a baby factory. There, she met other pregnant girls held against their will.
Vivian said the suspect, Ada Clement, had instructed that she be taken to another hospital for a scan, but she managed to escape and reported the matter to the Ore Police Division.
Acting on her report, police operatives from the Ore Division, in collaboration with the Gender-Based Violence Unit, raided the facility, rescuing the girls and recovering one newborn baby.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the syndicate had been running the baby factory for some time, keeping young pregnant girls until delivery before selling their babies to desperate buyers.
“The suspect, Ada Clement, and her accomplices have confessed to the crime,” Ayanlade confirmed.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Adebowale Lawal, has ordered a full-scale investigation to ensure that all members of the trafficking ring are tracked down and prosecuted.
He also directed detectives from the Gender-Based Violence Unit to intensify efforts to apprehend other fleeing suspects linked to the operation.
Meanwhile, the rescued victims are receiving medical care and counselling at the General Hospital, Ore and are under protective police custody.
