The Nigeria Immigration Service, Ondo State
Command, yesterday discovered a ‘baby factory’ in Ilu-tuntun, Okitipupa
Local Government Area.
The command told reporters in Akure
that eight men and 11 women, allegedly cohabiting and producing
children for the owner of the ‘factory’, were arrested with him.
Five were nursing mothers and five expectant
mothers.
The Command Comptroller, Alhaji Al-Hassan
Musa, said: “We were able to arrest these people by acting on the tip-off we
got from Abuja. A circular emanating from the headquarters informed us that an
operator of a baby factory in Imo State had relocated to Ondo State. Our
investigation led us to Ilu-tuntun. It also showed that the operator, who is
said to be acting with a Cameroonian, has another such factory in Ore, Odigbo
Local Government Area.”
Musa said the suspects would be handed
over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other
Related Offences (NAPTIP) in Lagos.
One of the suspects, who identified herself
as “Grace” and a student of Lagos State University (LASU) resisted arrest, claiming
that she was pregnant for Mrs. Ogundeji’s son.
Grace said: “Immediately I informed my
husband to be about my pregnancy, he asked me to follow him to his mother’s
house in Okitipupa so that I will be properly cared for. Our wedding is on the
way. I am not involved in such a criminal act and the person who is responsible
for it is not denying it.”
Some of the suspects and the alleged
proprietor denied the allegations, saying they were relatives