OPERATIVES of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Lagos State Command, have uncovered and dismantled a suspected baby factory operating in the Okuju area of Ilado, Badagry, in Lagos State.
The operation, carried out between Wednesday night and the early hours of Thursday, led to the rescue of 18 pregnant women and 10 children, while two suspected operators of the facility, Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu, were arrested.
According to findings by News Point Nigeria, the victims were lured into the operation through offers circulated on a Facebook platform, where they entered into agreements tied to pregnancy and child delivery.
It was gathered that the pregnant women were expected to surrender their babies after delivery, after which the children would be sold, while the mothers received payments ranging between N500,000 and N1.8 million.
The victims, aged between 18 and 30, were later paraded at the NSCDC office in Badagry division, Ibereko, on Friday.
Authorities disclosed that some of the women had arrived at the facility with children and infants, who were also reportedly being prepared for sale to interested buyers.
Addressing journalists during the parade, the Lagos State Commandant of the NSCDC, Adedotun Keshinro, said the operation was the result of actionable intelligence gathered over a three-week period, which led operatives to the large residential building housing the victims.
“They are operating a baby factory where victims are made pregnant. When the babies are delivered, they are sold,” Keshinro stated.
He explained further that the suspects enticed pregnant women into agreements that involved relinquishing their babies after birth in exchange for monetary compensation.
“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,” he added.
Among the 18 pregnant women rescued, one was reported to have suffered a miscarriage, leaving 17 others currently carrying pregnancies at the time of the operation.
“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,” the commandant said.
Keshinro described the activities of the suspects as a grievous crime against humanity, noting that they 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 further care and rehabilitation.
Items recovered from the facility included a pumping machine, generator set, standing fans, gas cylinders, a burner, cooking pots, mobile phones, mats, toiletries, baby skincare products, tableware, and assorted food items.
On the future of the facility, Keshinro said the premises would be handed over to the Lagos State Government, which would determine whether to demolish it to prevent further illegal use.
“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,” he stated.
Responding to questions from journalists, Joy Okeke, identified as the chief operator of the facility, said she relocated to Badagry in January from Ikorodu in search of a larger apartment.
Okeke claimed that the operation was centred on facilitating child adoption for individuals who could not have children.
“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.
However, she declined to provide further details regarding pricing or operational methods, insisting that she would only speak in the presence of her lawyer.
“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,” she added.
Some of the rescued women, who spoke with Saturday PUNCH, confirmed that they entered into agreements with the operators after negotiating online to surrender their babies in exchange for payment.
One of the women disclosed that she was promised N1 million, while another said she was to receive N1.8 million upon delivery.
A victim identified as Joy explained that she opted for the arrangement after becoming pregnant by what she described as an “irresponsible man,” adding that she already had two children being cared for by her mother in the village.
The women further stated that they were provided with daily meals, allowed to use their phones, and could request medical attention when needed, but were not permitted to leave the facility freely.
One of them added that while they could leave the centre before delivery, doing so would mean forfeiting any payment.
Raphael Agwu, who was arrested alongside Okeke, claimed that the women came into the facility already pregnant and willingly signed agreements to deliver their babies for adoption in exchange for payment.
He argued that the centre provided an alternative for women considering abortion and offered opportunities for childless couples seeking to adopt.
“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,” he said.
Agwu further explained that there are online groups dedicated to adoption, abortion, and unwanted pregnancies, where such arrangements are initiated.
“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,” he added.
He also maintained that many of the women were referred through agents and came willingly, some with their children.
“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,” he said.
Agwu, who described himself as a housekeeper, added that the promise of financial compensation, often at least N1 million, served as a major attraction for the women.
“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.