The police in Lagos on Sunday said they have uncovered a suspected baby factory and rescued 19 pregnant girls.

DSP Bala Elkana, Police Public Relations Officer, in a statement, disclosed that they acted on an intelligence report and swooped on the operators at their base on 14 Adisa Street, Ayanwale area of Ikotun.

Elkana further disclosed that two suspects had been arrested.

However, the principal suspect, identified as Madam Oluchi, a mother of five, from Mbano, Imo State, was said to have escaped.

According to the police spokesman, the suspects bring the girls from the South-East to Lagos where they are impregnated.

He said the babies were sold based on their sex; while male babies were sold for N500,000, the girls were sold for N300,000.

Elkana said, “On September 19,2019, at 4pm, while acting on the strength of information from a reliable source, detectives from the Isheri Osun Police Station, led by the Divisional Police Officer, CSP Chike Ibe, stormed a building at 14 Adisa Street, Ayanwale area, Ikotun, Lagos, suspected to be used for child trafficking.

“Nineteen pregnant girls, aged 15 and 28, were rescued. Four kids were also rescued. They were recovered from four different locations.

“They include: 32 Owosho Street, Governor Road, Ikotun; 29 Olugbeyohun Street, Olakunle Bus Stop Abaranja; 4/6 Anomo Street, Abaranja and the address mentioned above. The pregnant women were brought from Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Imo states.

“Two suspects, namely Happiness Ukwuoma ‘f’ 40 years old, and Sherifat Ipeya ‘f’ 54 years old, were arrested in connection with the case.

“The suspects did not receive formal medical training but operate as nurses. The suspects are natives of Imo and Epe, Lagos states, respectively. The young women were mostly abducted by the suspects for the purpose of getting them pregnant and selling the babies to potential buyers.

“The girls were tricked with employment as domestic staff in Lagos.

“The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu, has visited the scene and ordered the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department to take over the case.”