Ogun Police uncover suspected baby trafficking hub, rescue Six

By Ogundele Eniola Mopelola

A police operation in Mowe, Ogun State, has uncovered an alleged baby factory and raised fresh concerns over a suspected human trafficking network after two pregnant women and four children were rescued, while six suspects were arrested.

The operation, conducted on August 24 at Abaren Village, followed intelligence received by the Mowe Division of the Ogun State Police Command about the activities of an alleged trafficking syndicate operating in the area.

According to the police, officers who raided the facility found two pregnant women identified as 23-year-old Ilesanmi Foluke, who was seven months pregnant, and 20-year-old Ejekwa Melody, who was eight months pregnant.

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

Missing Newborn Raises Fresh Questions

However, what initially appeared to be a rescue operation took a more troubling turn when investigators traced another suspected victim to a hospital in the Mowe area.

Police said 26-year-old Blessing Bright Effiong had given birth to a baby boy at the hospital on August 20. But when investigators visited the facility, the newborn was reportedly nowhere to be found.

The attending nurse was subsequently arrested to assist investigators in establishing what happened to the child and determining the whereabouts of the missing newborn.

The police said the search for the baby remains ongoing.

Six Suspects Arrested

Six suspects have so far been arrested in connection with the investigation, including the attending nurse at the hospital.

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The case has since been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, where detectives are expected to investigate the alleged trafficking operation, establish the circumstances surrounding the missing newborn and determine the roles played by the suspects.

The development has once again drawn attention to the activities of alleged “baby factories” in Nigeria—facilities accused of exploiting vulnerable pregnant women and illegally transferring newborns and children to prospective adopters.

Such operations can expose vulnerable women to coercion and exploitation while placing newborns and children at risk of trafficking, illegal adoption and other forms of abuse.

Investigation May Reveal Wider Network

The Ogun State Police Command said the ongoing investigation would determine the full extent of the suspected syndicate’s activities and establish which of the arrested persons may be criminally liable.

For now, the rescue of the six victims represents a significant breakthrough. But the disappearance of a newborn has added an urgent dimension to the investigation.

Beyond the rescued women and children, detectives now face the task of determining whether the Abaren Village facility was an isolated operation or part of a wider trafficking network, how many other victims may have passed through it, and what ultimately happened to the missing baby.

Until those questions are answered, the Mowe operation remains an unfolding investigation into a suspected network in which vulnerable pregnancies and newborn lives may have been exploited for profit.