Police Bust Baby Sellers Syndicate, Recover Infant In Lagos
The Lagos State Police Command said it has arrested two suspects involved in the sale of babies in the state.
A statement by the command’s spokesman on Sunday, Mr Bala Elkana, disclosed that the duo were saved from being killed by an angry mob in the Ejigbo area of Lagos.
Elkana said, “On 26th August 2019, at about 3.30pm, a police officer attached to the Motor Traffic Division of Ejigbo Police Division while controlling traffic at Jakande Gate, Ejigbo noticed a sort of commotion close to her traffic point.
“She intervened and discovered that the brouhaha was about a lady named Gift Michael 24 years old, found with a suspected new-born baby. In her company is her ‘madam’, one Florence Nkem Douglas aged 50 years – both of Ijegun area of Isheri.”
“They were about to be mobbed due to the alarm raised by those who had been trailing the duo from their residence in Ijegun as the whole community had been suspecting them for long for being in the business of buying and selling of babies in their maternity clinic, but for the timely intervention of the traffic policewoman,” he added.
The command’s spokesman said the two women along with the baby were rescued to Ejigbo Divisional Police Headquarters where in-depth investigation was conducted.
Investigation revealed that Douglas, a native of Igueben in Edo State, was not a registered nurse but operating two maternity clinic – Flofidel Clinic and Maternity Homes – with branches along Ijegun Road and Okunola Ijagemo areas.
“On interrogation, the said Florence admitted having been in the business of sales of babies for a while.
“She revealed that a baby girl is referred to as ‘pink’ while a baby boy is called ‘blue’, and are both referred to as ‘market’,” Elkana noted.
He stated that the suspect confessed that the male baby found in their custody was brought to her from Gombe State, en route to Akure and was to be sold for N500,000.00.
The command’s spokesman said the rescued baby who appeared sick with symptoms suspected to be jaundice was promptly taken to hospital for medical attention.
He also revealed that pictures of about 50 different babies, suspected to have already been sold off, were found on the phone of the suspect.
According to Elkana, babies are usually sold between N500,000.00 and N1million depending on their gender.
He added that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Zubairu Muazu, has ordered the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti Yaba to take over the investigation and ensure that other members of the syndicate were apprehended.
