Authorities in Lagos have dismantled an alleged baby factory, rescuing victims and arresting suspects involved in the sale of newborns.
Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos Command, have uncovered a baby factory in Badagry, rescuing 18 pregnant women and 10 children while arresting two suspects. Commandant Adedotun Keshinro said the operation followed three weeks of intelligence gathering, revealing a network where victims were lured online and housed in a multi-room apartment.
Keshinro stated, “They are operating a baby factory where victims are made pregnant. When the babies are delivered, they are sold,” adding that women were promised payments between N500,000 and N1.8m. He described the operation as a “grievous crime against humanity,” noting that one victim suffered a miscarriage while others remained pregnant under the arrangement.
The suspects will be handed over to the police for prosecution, while victims will be transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons. One suspect claimed, “We are adopting children to give to those who don’t have children,” while another said, “I didn’t see it as a big crime,” highlighting conflicting narratives around the illegal operation.