Officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have raided and dismantled a baby factory in the Badagry area of Lagos State, freeing 28 victims and taking two suspects into custody.
The operation, carried out in Okuju, Ilado, led to the rescue of 18 pregnant women and 10 children.
The suspects, identified as Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu, were arrested at the facility.
Victims were said to have been recruited through offers on Facebook, where they agreed to give up their babies after delivery in exchange for payment ranging from N500,000 to N1.8 million.
The Lagos State Commandant of the NSCDC, Adedotun Keshinro, said the raid followed three weeks of intelligence gathering.
He said: “They are operating a baby factory where victims are made pregnant. When the babies are delivered, they are sold.”
Keshinro added: “The suspects entice pregnant victims to come and negotiate with them that when they deliver the babies, the babies will be taken from them, and they will be paid off.”
He said one of the rescued women had suffered a miscarriage, while 17 others were still pregnant.
Keshinro described the operation as exposing a “grievous crime against humanity,” adding that 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.
Recovered items from the facility included a generator, gas cylinders, cooking utensils, phones, baby products, and other household materials.
The commandant said the state government would determine the fate of the building, including possible demolition.
Speaking during interrogation, Okeke said the facility was involved in child adoption for people without children.
Okeke said, “We are adopting children to give to those who don’t have children.”
She declined further comments, insisting her lawyer must be present.
Some of the rescued women said they willingly entered into agreements to surrender their babies in exchange for money.
One of them said she agreed to receive N1 million, while another said she was promised N1.8 million.
A victim identified as Joy said she opted for the arrangement after becoming pregnant with what she described as an irresponsible partner.
Agwu, who described himself as a housekeeper, said the women came voluntarily and were introduced through agents operating online.
He said: “There are agents on online groups who propose that instead of aborting it, you can come to us, and we will take care of you.”
He added, “When you deliver the child, we’ll take the baby for ourselves.”
Agwu maintained that the arrangement was based on consent and claimed it provided an alternative to abortion, though authorities have classified the operation as illegal.
Investigations into the facility are ongoing.
Publisher,
Lagos Post Online,
Lagos Post is an online publication that seeks to provide fair, unbiased, credible, balanced and useful information about Corporate Organisations, Governments and the General Public by breaking news in Business, Politics, Arts, Entertainment, Culture, and Sports in Nigeria, Africa and the World. As a global news portal, we continually stand for responsible journalism and sound media practice.
Email: lagospostng@gmail.com
