Nigeria: Police Raid Another 'Baby Factory'

Enugu — Enugu State Police Command yesterday raided another maternity home suspected to be involved in breeding babies for sale and arrested seven teenage pregnant girls confined in the hospital awaiting delivery.

Also arrested were two young men, Messrs Obinna Okafor and Ugochukwu Okafor, who were said to be children of proprietress of the home, known as Chief Dennis Okafor Memorial Hospital, and two nurses, Ada Okenwa and Esther Ogbonna.

However, the Police declared that four prime suspects, Dr Ani Innocent, Dr Nwachukwu, Matron of the Hospital, Mrs Chizoba Eneh and another described as the king pin of child-trafficking business, Mrs Mamere were at large.

Enugu State Commissioner of Police, Mr Sani Magaji, told newsmen yesterday that a manhunt has commenced for the suspects.

Magaji said the Police raided the Hospital located at Udi Siding, behind old UNTH, Enugu, when one of the teenage pregnant girls, Ifeoma Eze, from Ebonyi State, escaped from the home to seek assistance.

Ifeoma had approached an unidentified woman, and narrated how she and other pregnant girls had been held hostage in the Hospital.

Magaji said efforts were on to arrest all the suspects at large, adding that the teenage pregnant girls, including the suspects, would be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other Related Matters (NAPTIP) for further action.

NAPTIP is currently in court with Dr Kenneth Akunne, another Enugu based doctor who runs a Home where 20 pregnant teenage girls were arrested in June this year.