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A baby factory in the Badagry area of Lagos, where newborns were being sold for as much as N1.8 million, has been uncovered by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the command announced Friday.
The facility, located in Okuju, Ilado, operated as a newborn sales network, with pregnant women lured via Facebook offers to reside at the centre until delivery.
Upon birth, their babies were sold to buyers, with the mothers receiving between N500,000 and N1.8 million in compensation.
During a raid carried out Wednesday night into Thursday morning, NSCDC operatives rescued 18 pregnant women and 10 children and arrested the facility’s operators, Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu.
The victims, aged between 18 and 30, were paraded on Friday at the NSCDC office in Badagry.
Lagos State NSCDC Commandant Adedotun Keshinro told journalists that some of the rescued women had already arrived at the facility, accompanied by older children and infants, who were also put up for sale.
“They are operating a baby factory where victims are made pregnant. When the babies are delivered, they are sold,” Keshinro said.
“The suspects entice the victims who are pregnant to come and negotiate with them that when they deliver the babies, the babies will be taken from them and they’ll be paid off.
“When they deliver the babies, the babies will be taken from them to be sold to their customers, and the victims will be paid off.”
One of the 18 pregnant women had suffered a miscarriage, leaving 17 currently carrying pregnancies, he added.
“There are 18 victims who are fully pregnant, but one of them had a miscarriage. So, 17 of them are currently carrying pregnancies. And there are other babies there who are grown, and they are also here on negotiation to be sold to interested buyers,” Keshinro added.
Keshinro described the operation as a “grievous crime against humanity,” stating 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 (NAPTIP).
When questioned, chief operator Joy Okeke claimed the centre was engaged in child adoption.
“We are adopting children to give to those who don’t have children. I have been doing this for some months. I moved here from Ikorodu in search of a bigger apartment. We were in Ikorodu before. We are two operating this place,” she said, declining to state the price of a newborn.
“I can talk further when my lawyer is here. I don’t want to talk anymore. If you are interrogating me, my lawyer should be present.”
Raphael Agwu, who described himself as a housekeeper, admitted that childless couples approached the facility seeking to buy children.
“I didn’t see it as a big crime because my thinking is they are helping some childless couples,” he said.
Raphael Agwu, who described himself as a housekeeper, admitted that childless couples approached the facility seeking to buy children.
Agwu said, “There are agents on an online group who propose that instead of aborting it, you can come to us, and we will take care of you. And when you deliver the child, we’ll take the baby for ourselves.
“There are groups for adoption, abortion and unwanted pregnancies on Facebook. They are open groups. These people post that they want to give up their child for adoption, and negotiation begins.
“They were already pregnant on their own and decided to give birth for adoption. So, in order for us to be safe, because of that agreement, they gave their consent and everything.”
Agwu added that the promise of a compensation payment of at least N1 million for the sale of their child at delivery is what draws the women to the facility.
“They came on their own. Some of them were referred to us by agents. Most of them came with their children. All those children you saw are people who came with their kids.
“Some childless couples come to us seeking to adopt children. I didn’t see it as a big crime because my thinking is they are helping some childless couples,” he said.
One of the rescued women told journalists she had been promised N1.8 million for surrendering her baby.
Another said she opted for the facility because she became pregnant by an “irresponsible man.”
Items recovered from the facility included baby skincare products, gas cylinders, cooking pots, phones, and assorted food items.
Keshinro said the property would be handed to the Lagos State government, which may decide to demolish it.
“We will hand over the place to the state government. The state government may decide to demolish the place so that they will not be able to continue to use it for that activity.”
