The Lagos State Police Command has uncovered an illegal baby factory operating in the Ijegun area of the state, rescuing 10 victims and arresting three suspects, officials confirmed on Monday.
Spokesperson for the Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the operation followed a tip-off received on Saturday, which led officers to the location where the victims were being held.
Upon storming the premises, police arrested the alleged ringleader, Mariam Vincent, 35, along with two accomplices — Orie Ruth, 23, and Ujunwa Ifeanyi, 18.
The victims — seven women and three children — were rescued and are now receiving medical care and psychosocial support.
Those rescued include Precious (24), Magdalene (25), Adaobi (23), Princess (22), Ifeanyi (25), and Amaka (26). The children were identified as Destiny (7), Miracle (5), and Success (2).
According to Hundeyin, preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had kidnapped the victims from various parts of Lagos with the intention of exploiting them in the baby factory scheme.
“The suspects confessed during interrogation to abducting the victims to run an illegal baby factory,” he stated, adding that legal proceedings will follow once the investigation is complete.
Ongoing Crackdown
Hundeyin also gave an update on broader police operations in the state, revealing that a total of 39 suspects have been arrested in the past two weeks for crimes including murder, kidnapping, armed robbery, rape, child theft, vandalism, illegal firearm possession, and drug trafficking.
Separate Kidnapping Case in Ikorodu
In a related development, police successfully rescued two kidnapping victims in the Igbe Alagemo area of Ijede, Ikorodu, following a violent attack by armed men on March 26.
The attackers first stormed the home of a 40-year-old man identified as Dare, killing his guard dog and abducting him. They then proceeded to a neighboring house and kidnapped a second victim, 25-year-old Rodiat.
Hundeyin said the victims were rescued three days later, on March 29 at about 11:56 p.m., through a joint operation involving police and local security forces.
“The victims have been reunited with their families. The community is currently calm, and surveillance efforts are ongoing to track and apprehend the suspects,” he said.
Authorities have urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to report suspicious activities to aid ongoing security efforts across the state.