Anambra State Police Command said it has uncovered a baby factory in Otolo Nnewi, the industrial city of the state.
It said it also rescued four pregnant young girls in a brothel where they were kept to produce children for the baby factory owner.
The spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed, who disclosed these in a statement, said the baby factory owner, one Gladys Nworie Ikegwuonu, presently at large, was behind the recent attempted kidnap of a four-year- old boy by two men on a motorcycle in the area.
He said the suspect also operated the brothel where she kept the rescued girls awaiting customers on delivery.
He said: “It would be recalled that on 11/3/2021, there was a report at the Area Command Headquarters, Nnewi, that a 4-year old child of St Joseph’s School, Otolo Nnewi, was returning home from School in company of his siblings when two men on a motorcycle grabbed the child and zoomed off with him.
“However, the child was rescued by some commercial motorcyclists who pursued and eventually arrested the suspects at Akamili Community, Nnewi.
“Preliminary investigations conducted by the Police revealed that the suspects who were beaten to stupor by an angry mob (one of whom was confirmed dead), were sent by one Gladys Nworie Ikegwuonu, presently at large, who also operates a baby factory and a brothel by keeping young girls and getting them impregnated after which she sells the children to her waiting customers.
“Two suspects arrested are Abuchi Ani, ‘M’, aged 32 years, of Ohazora, Ebonyi State, and Emeka Ikegwuonu, ‘M’, 49 years, of Akabukwu, Nnewi, Anambra State.
“Consequently, four pregnant young girls were rescued as follows: Chisom Okoye (20) of Mgbaneze Isu and Chinecherem Clement (18) of Agbaebo Isu, Blessing Ogbonna (21) of Nkwagu Isu of Onicha LGA, Ebonyi State and Blessing Njoku (21) of Mgbaneze Isu, all of Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State and residing at Cool Joint bar, Nnewi.”
Mohammed further assured efforts were on to arrest the principal suspect, Gladys Nworie Ikegwuonu of Ohaozora, Ebonyi State, in order to bring her and other accomplices to justice.
