By Nwabueze Okonkwo
ONITSHA—Anambra State Police Command has uncovered a baby factory where women with unwanted pregnancies are harboured till delivery, after which the babies are sold to interested buyers, with or without their mothers’ consents.
Consequently, the suspected owner of the baby factory has been arrested and detained by the police for allegedly selling one of the new born babies for N700,000, without the mother’s consent.
A source said the suspect, who is from Imo State, whose name was withheld by the police for security reasons, was alleged to have opened a maternity home at Odekpe in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State where she nurtured the babies after birth and then sell them to prospective buyers.
The source hinted that the deal that landed her in police custody started on August 27 when a baby boy was born.
According to the source, the suspect had on August 28, a day after the delivery, sent Adaku, mother of the baby, to a nearby compound to fetch a gallon of water to bath the baby, which she obeyed.
Disappearing act
It was gathered that on returning from the errand, she discovered that the suspect had disappeared with her baby.
Vanguard gathered that several phone calls she made to find out the whereabout of the suspect were futile as her line was switched off.
The source stated that when the suspect eventually showed up about a week later without the baby and was confronted by Adaku, she simply asked her to allow her to rest.
The suspect was later arrested by the police for another offence. When she was released from custody and was confronted again by Adaku, she replied: “Can’t you see I am just returning from police custody?”
Vanguard learnt that it was at this point that Adaku contacted one of her cousins who lodged a complaint at Police Area Command Headquarters, Onitsha, and the suspect was arrested.
She confessed to the police that she had sold the baby to someone at Obosi for N700,000, after which she took the police to Obosi where the baby boy was recovered.
The Police Area Commander for Onitsha, Benjamin Wordu, an Assistant Commissioner of Police who confirmed the arrest, said he had just transferred the matter to the State Criminal Investigations Department, CID, Awka, for further investigations.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Uche Ezeh, also confirmed the arrest to newsmen in a telephone chat, adding that the suspect would be charged to court after investigations.
He also disclosed that the baby boy had been released to his mother.
