A major crackdown on human trafficking in Lagos has led to the rescue of 18 pregnant women and 10 children from an alleged baby factory operating in the Badagry area.
The operation was carried out by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which raided a facility in Okuju, Ilado, following weeks of intelligence gathering. During the late-night operation, officials arrested two suspects identified as Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu.
Authorities say the suspects allegedly ran a network where babies were sold for profit. Investigations revealed that vulnerable women were recruited through Facebook platforms advertising assistance for unwanted pregnancies and discreet adoption arrangements. Victims were reportedly promised payments ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦1.8 million in exchange for surrendering their newborns.
The Lagos State Commandant of the NSCDC, Adedotun Keshinro, described the operation as a serious violation of human rights. He disclosed that several victims were found in cramped rooms, including heavily pregnant women and infants believed to be awaiting illegal sale. One of the victims was also reported to have suffered a miscarriage.
Keshinro confirmed that the suspects would be prosecuted, while the rescued women and children would be transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and protection.
Items recovered from the premises—including baby supplies, mobile phones, generators, and gas cylinders—suggest the operation had been ongoing for some time.
Although the suspects claimed the arrangement was voluntary and intended to help childless couples, authorities rejected the explanation, insisting it was a deliberate scheme designed to exploit vulnerable women.
The incident has triggered widespread concern, highlighting the persistent threat of illegal baby factories and human trafficking across Nigeria.
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