Four pregnant women rescued as police uncover ‘baby factory’ in Anambra

The Anambra police command says it has rescued four pregnant women from a baby factory in Nnewi area of the state.

Haruna Mohammed, spokesperson of the Anambra police command, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, adding that the area was discovered after an attempted child theft that occurred recently.

Haruna said the command had received a report from Nnewi that a four-year-old pupil was almost abducted on his way from school on March 11.

He said the two suspected kidnappers were beaten up by a crowd, which led to the death of one of them.

According to Mohammed, the suspects are involved with one Gladys Ikegwuonu, who allegedly runs a brothel where the “stolen girls” are kept, impregnated and their children sold to buyers.

“It will be recalled that on 11/3/2021, there was a report at the Area Command Headquarters, Nnewi, that a four-year-old child of St Joseph’s School, Otolo Nnewi, was returning home from school in the company of his siblings, when two men on a motorcycle grabbed the child and zoomed off with him,” the statement reads.

“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.”

The four rescued women, aged between 18 and 21, are said to be from Ebonyi state.

The spokesman also noted that the command is intensifying efforts to ensure that the main suspect and other accomplices are apprehended.

Editor’s note: This picture was used for illustrative purposes.