The Oyo State Police Command on Saturday paraded suspected criminals including one ‘Monday Chukwuka’ who allegedly sold his day-old grand daughter for N700,000.
The suspect was arrested at his hideout in Ibafo area of Ogun State, following credible intelligence report.
The Command’s Spokesman, Adewale Osifeso who made this known while parading the suspect at the Command Headquaters, Eleyele, Ibadan, said: “On 10th July, 2023, an actionable intelligence report was received by a team of Police Operatives attached to the Command Monitoring, Oyo State about the “harvesting of a day-old baby girl’’ from her teenage mother identified as Sarah Chukwuka in Oyo town and sale of the girl child to a criminal cartel that operates a baby factory in Abia State.”
He said upon interrogation, Monday, the biological father of the teenage girl who gave birth to the infant , confessed to the crime and explained in detail how he took the baby from her mother as soon as she gave birth under the guise of handing over the baby to someone who would take good care of her.
“The suspect further explained in details, how he moved the day old baby to Abia State where he sold her to the owner of a baby factory located at Obehi, Okwa West in Abia State at the rate of sum of Seven Hundred Thousand Naira (N700,000.00).”
“Investigation activity was extended to Abia State and in the process of a coordinated raid on the baby factory, a female suspect identified as Popoola Bunmi and four other accomplices whose names are Chinwedu Peter, Chidinma Blessing, Chukwu Christopher, and Favour Chukwu were all apprehended in connection with the criminal activity.”
Osifeso said bundle of new birth certificates and some equipment being used for baby deliveries were equally recovered from the factory, adding that the suspects as of the time of apprehension were unable to give any satisfactory explanation about the parentage of the babies recovered from the factory.
The suspect (Monday) said he decided to sell the baby because he could not afford to take care of his teenage daughter and the baby, saying he used the proceeds he collected after selling the baby to rent a shop and buy goods.
On her part, Sarah-the teenage mother said she was unaware of her father’s intentions to sell her baby. She explained that her dad only told her that he wanted to give the baby to someone that would help them nurture her for two years and return her to them.
In her confessional statement, the suspected buyer of the baby, (Favor Chukwuka) said she bought the baby following request from a couple (name withheld) who are childless, saying she was given N50,000 as her share for the job.
Also arrested by the Command are suspected armed robbers, secret cult members and hoodlums who specialised in stealing cars, and engaged in other nefarious activities
