Newborn unaccounted for as police raid Ogun ‘baby factory’

By Tolulope Oke

A newborn baby has been declared unaccounted for following a police operation that uncovered a suspected baby factory in Mowe, Ogun State.

Six people were arrested, while two pregnant women and four children were rescued during the operation conducted by officers attached to the Mowe Police Division.

The suspects were identified as Florence Glory Ogbona, 58; Magdalene Julius, 63; Chidike Egwuonwu, 40; Onyechu Chidike, 35; Stephen Ogbona, 39; and a nurse, Oseni Kusamotu Idaya.

Deputy Police Public Relations Officer for the Ogun State Command, ASP Oluborode Opeyemi, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

Opeyemi said the operation followed sustained intelligence on alleged human trafficking and illegal adoption activities at a facility in Abaren Village.

Police operatives reportedly stormed the suspected syndicate’s hideout on Toluwalase Street, Abaren Village, via Gbarinmole, Mowe, at about 8am on Monday.

Preliminary investigations indicated that suspected human trafficking and illegal adoption activities had allegedly been taking place at the facility for some time.

Two pregnant women, identified as 23-year-old Ilesanmi Foluke and 20-year-old Ejekwa Melody, were rescued during the raid.

Foluke was seven months pregnant, while Melody was eight months pregnant.

Four children—two boys and two girls—were also recovered from the premises.

Further intelligence reportedly led detectives to a hospital within the Mowe area, where another suspected victim, Blessing Bright Effiong, 26, had delivered a baby boy on August 20.

Effiong was receiving treatment at the hospital when police officers arrived, but the whereabouts of her newborn could not be established.

The development led to the arrest of the attending nurse as detectives intensified efforts to locate the missing baby.

Police said the baby factory case would be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.

The investigation is expected to uncover the full extent of the suspected syndicate’s activities, locate the missing newborn and support the prosecution of anyone found culpable.

Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended officers of the Mowe Division for their response and operational efficiency.

Ojajuni reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating human trafficking, child trading and other forms of violent crime across Ogun State.

He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide timely and credible information about suspicious activities in their communities.