By Adesakin Adefemi
Operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have uncovered a suspected baby factory in Okuju-Ilado, Badagry, rescuing 17 pregnant women and 10 children during a midnight raid on Wednesday. The Lagos State Command said the operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering.
Lagos State Commandant Adedotun Keshinro told journalists that the facility was a large residential building with multiple apartments. He said the building had been under surveillance for about three weeks before officers moved in to make arrests and evacuate the victims.
According to Keshinro, the suspects allegedly lured pregnant women with promises of financial support and then restricted their movement once they arrived. The operators reportedly used a fake Facebook account to contact victims before moving conversations to private chats to conclude arrangements.
“Once the victims arrive, their freedom is restricted,” Keshinro said. He noted that the rescued women were aged 18 to 35, and one of them had suffered a miscarriage while at the facility.
Two suspects were arrested during the raid. One suspect, identified as Joy Okeke, told operatives the group previously operated in Ikorodu before relocating to Badagry in January. She declined to provide further details without legal representation.
Another suspect, Alfred Junior, claimed the women came voluntarily to the facility. “The pregnant women come on their own. Sometimes we give them transport money and take care of them after agreements are signed,” he told officers at the scene.
Some of the rescued women disputed that account. One victim said desperation pushed her there after the man responsible for her pregnancy abandoned her. “I came here on my own because he refused to take responsibility,” she said.
Residents of Okuju-Ilado said they had noticed unusual activity at the property for weeks. Chairman of the Okuju-Ilado Community Development Association, Adebayo Odunfa, stated that occupants rarely went outside and a man handled purchases while keeping the premises locked. “We had no idea what was happening until the raid,” he added.
Keshinro confirmed that all 27 rescued persons and the two suspects will be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for further investigation and prosecution.
He emphasized that the suspects are not indigenes of Badagry, a point stressed by the Command to calm community tension. The case has renewed public concern over illegal baby factories and human trafficking in Lagos State, with authorities urging residents to report suspicious activity promptly.
