The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has arrested five persons for their alleged involvement in illegal sale of babies also known as baby factory. Seven expectant mothers are also being held.
The Commissioner of Police in Akwa Ibom State, Umar Gwadabe who announced the discovery of the baby factory, said it was located at 19, Nepa Line, Ikot Ekpene.
He said: “The discovery came following a tip-off that two women, Ima Akpan (35) and Mma Nurse, now at large, were operating a baby factory where seven expectant mothers were camped.
“The expectant mothers were arrested, and on interrogation, two of them– Ikwo Ofuo and Joy John– confessed that they were enticed to the business because of money.
“On delivery, a male child will be sold for N400, 000. A female child costs N350, 000”.
One of the teenage expectant mothers said she was put in the family way by an unknown man.
She said: “I don’t know who impregnated me. I was impregnated while hawking to assist my mother”.
Meanwhile, the state police command has paraded two suspects, who allegedly specialise in forging academic certificates.
The suspects, Ubong Udoh and Thompson Edet, were arrested by detectives from Ikot Ekpene with degrees, Higher National Diploma (HND) certificates and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) exemption certificates.
The certificates recovered from the suspects bear different names.
Some of the higher institutions whose certificates were forged by the suspects include a degree certificate of Imo State University; five HND certificates of Akwa Ibom Polytechnic, Ikot; an NYSC exemption certificate, two official transcripts from Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic and two from Calabar Polytechnic.
Udoh said his late father sold forged certificates, and he took over the illegal trade after his death.
He said: “I was working in one of the construction companies. My late father has been doing this business. I continued with the business after his death. He died last October”.