Anambra rescues 3 pregnant girls whose babies were to be sold

Anambra has rescued three pregnant girls from a baby factory and child trafficking syndicate in Umunze, Orumba South Local Government Area of the state.

They are a 14-year-old from Arondizuogu (Imo), a 20-year-old from Bayelsa and a 19-year-old from Ihite Orumba in Anambra.

Their unborn babies were to be sold at N300,000 each, upon delivery.

Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Ify Obinabo, told newsmen on Wednesday in Awka when she received the rescued girls and a suspect that the rescue followed a three-month investigation.

The investigation, she added, was conducted by operatives of the Anambra Vigilance Group (AVG) and the Transition Committee Chairman of Orumba South council area, Mr Neville Uchendu.

Obinabo said a suspect, one Oruchukwu Okoroafor of Arondizuogu in Anambra, who runs the syndicate, had been arrested.

“I commend the Orumba South Local Government Council chairman and the vigilance group for bursting the syndicate after a careful three-month investigation of the suspect.

“I assure you that the apprehended suspect will not go scot-free. We will hand him over to the police for further investigation. He must face the consequences of his crime.

“I call on residents to emulate the Orumba South council chairman in making Anambra a liveable and prosperous homeland,’’ she said.

In exchanges with newsmen, the girls said the suspect was not responsible for their pregnancies but offered to shelter them in his house pending their delivery dates.

They said the suspect promised to get them jobs and offered to give each of them N300,000 after they had been delivered of their babies.

The suspect in his own case told newsmen that he had been in the business for two years and that the girls were his first set of clients in 2023.

“The intending buyers of the unborn children already promised to pay N300,000 per head, but I do not have their contacts,’’ Okoroafor said.