A 17-year-old Nigerian boy has been detained by the Rivers State Police Command in Nigeria for allegedly impregnating 10 women.
The minor identified as named Noble Uzuchi was arrested alongside four other suspects and ten pregnant girls have also been rescued.
This is according to a Nigerian news outlet, PUNCH, which noted that the Rivers State Police Command in Nigeria uncovered the baby factory operation in the Obio/Akpor and Ikwerre local government areas of the state.
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Police say the teenager and another 29-year-old Chigozie Ogbonna had been hired by the syndicate to impregnate the women through marathon sex.
It was later established that the syndicate's leader, 40-year-old Peace Alikoi, was planning to keep the babies and pay the mothers a sum of N500,000 (Ksh 138,406). Some of the babies were also sold. The police have also arrested 30-year-old Favour Bright in connection with the operation.
The police were tipped off about the operation and quickly acted on the information, raiding two houses in the Igwuruta and Omagwa communities where the victims were being kept.
Superintendent of Police, Grace Iringe-Koko, the police spokesperson, said in a statement, “On Saturday, January 7, 2023, around 4.45 pm, while acting on credible intelligence available to the Rivers State Police Command, C4I Intelligence Unit operatives raided two houses at Igwuruta and Omagwa communities respectively, where victims of child trafficking were being kept.”
The victims, most of whom were pregnant, were rescued and taken into custody for further investigation. The police have also recovered a Honda Pilot Jeep from the syndicate leader.
“All the victims confessed that they were lured to the illicit sales of children because of the need to meet some financial challenges,” Iringe-Koko stated.
The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department and efforts are being intensified to track and arrest the buyers of the children already sold out.
“We will not rest until all those involved in this heinous act are brought to justice and held accountable for their actions,” Iringe-Koko added.
