A total of 14 pregnant girls and ladies have been rescued by men of the Abia State Police Command after they raided an alleged illegal maternity home.
The rescued ladies
14 pregnant ladies have been rescued by men of the Abia State Police Command after they raided an alleged illegal maternity home.
According to the police, the maternity home was allegedly being used as a baby factory at Umukpeyi village in the Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of the state.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Udeviotu Onyeke revealed the age group of the pregnant ladies ranges from 14 to 25 years. The baby factory according to him belongs to an unrepentant leader of a child trafficking group named "Madam Nma". The policemen stormed the location following an intel about the presence of pregnant ladies who were being used for commercial benefits. In the course of interrogation, it was discovered that most of the arrested suspects came from Imo, Anambra, Enugu and Rivers states in Nigeria.
“Majority of those rescued claimed that they were brought to the home by sympathisers after they were driven away from their homes when it was discovered that they had unwanted pregnancies”, Onyeke said.
12 of the arrested suspects are pregnant while 2 others are waiting for a confirmation. The owner of the baby factory, Madam Nma who was previously paraded at the Officers Mess, Umuahia is currently at large with the police on her trail.
Members of the general public have been urged to be vigilant and report any suspected criminal activities to the nearest filling station.