Ogun Police Bust Baby Factory, Rescue Two Pregnant Women, Four Children

Idris Oderinde 

The Ogun State Police Command has busted an alleged baby factory at Abaren Village, Mowe, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of the state,rescuing two pregnant women and four children and arresting six suspects.

The suspects, comprising five women and men, were arrested during an intelligence-led operation carried out by operatives of the Mowe Divisional Police Station on Monday.

Those arrested were Florence Glory Ogbona, 58; Magdalene Julius, 63; Chidike Egwuonwu, 40; Onyechu Chidike, 35; Stephen Ogbona, 39; and an attending nurse, Oseni Kusamotu Idaya.

The police said the operation was conducted around 8am at a facility on Toluwalase Street, Abaren Village, via Gbarinmole, a suburb of Mowe.

According to the command, preliminary investigation indicated that human trafficking and illegal adoption had allegedly been taking place at the facility for some time.

The police said two pregnant women were rescued during the raid. They were identified as Ilesanmi Foluke, 23, who was seven months pregnant, and Ejekwa Melody, 20, who was eight months pregnant.

Four children, comprising two boys and two girls, were also rescued from the premises.

The command said further intelligence-led operations led detectives to a hospital within the Mowe axis, where another alleged victim, Blessing Bright Effiong, 26, had given birth to a baby boy on August 20.

The police said Effiong was receiving medical attention at the hospital when operatives discovered that the whereabouts of her newborn baby could not be established.

Consequently, the attending nurse, Oseni Kusamotu Idaya, was arrested as the police intensified efforts to locate the missing newborn.

The command said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

It added that the investigation would determine the full extent of the alleged syndicate's activities, locate the missing baby and bring all culpable persons to justice.

The Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Command, CP Bode Ojajuni, commended the Mowe Division operatives for their prompt response and operational efficiency.

Ojajuni reaffirmed the command's commitment to tackling human trafficking, child trading and other forms of crime in the state.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide the police with timely and credible information that could assist in preventing crime and protecting vulnerable persons.