Crime
Police Discovers Illegal ‘Baby Factory’ In Rivers State
The Rivers State Police Command has made a significant discovery in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area by uncovering a clandestine operation known as a ‘baby factory’ run by a child trafficking syndicate.
During the operation, the police successfully rescued six pregnant women who were being held captive in the facility.
The women, aged between 20 and 23 years, had been forcibly kept there with the sinister intention of exploiting their newborns for illegal trade.
The apprehension took place on Tuesday, leading to the arrest of Akudo Azoroh, the alleged operator of the illicit child trafficking center as she reportedly confessed to her involvement in running this unlawful enterprise.
Azorah claimed that her motive was to provide babies to families who were unable to conceive children on their own.
She noted that the women were already pregnant when they came to her, adding that she pays off the girls as much as N800,000 to N900,00 depending on the stage of the pregnancy at the time they came and the gender of the child they delivered.
According to her; “I have given out six children in the past, I started the business three years ago. I do not have boys who get the girls pregnant, they were already pregnant when they came; they came to me on their own.
“I give out the babies only to families who do not have children and not to ritualists; I give them out for between N1.4 and N1.5 million, depending on the sex of the baby, while I pay their mothers off depending on the stage of the pregnancy at the time they came.”
During the course of the investigation, some of the pregnant women involved in the baby factory operation came forward and admitted that they had willingly sought out the facility while already pregnant.
They confessed that their intention was to give away their children after birth due to their inability to provide for them financially.
These women acknowledged their lack of financial capacity to care for their newborns and saw the baby factory as a means to ensure a better life for their children.
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Maitama has issued a public summons for former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, requiring him to appear in court on October 24.
This summons follows the filing of a 16-count charge of alleged fraud by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The EFCC has accused Bello, alongside two others—Umar Oricha and Abdulsalami Hudu—of criminal breach of trust involving a staggering sum of N110.4 billion.
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The public summons was issued by Justice Maryanne Anenih on Thursday, after the EFCC reported difficulties in serving Bello with the charges.
Bello’s absence led to the postponement of his arraignment, which was originally scheduled for Thursday.
This latest development follows prior efforts to compel Bello to attend court, including a May ruling by Justice Emeka Nwite that mandated his physical presence, as well as a recent order from the Court of Appeal.
Darius Ishaku, the former governor of Taraba State, has been granted bail of N150 million by a high court in Maitama, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Ishaku appeared in court on Monday alongside Bello Yero, the former permanent secretary of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, facing serious allegations including criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and conversion of public funds.
The two defendants pleaded “not guilty” to a total of 15 charges during their arraignment.
In a court session on Thursday, their legal teams presented bail applications, which were not opposed by the prosecution.
Rotimi Jacobs, representing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), stated that he had no objection since the defendants had previously been granted administrative bail.
Judge Sylvanus Oriji approved the bail, requiring each defendant to provide two sureties in the same amount as the bail.
The sureties must be responsible citizens residing in the FCT, with verifiable office and residential addresses.
Additionally, at least one surety for each defendant must hold a director-level position in the civil service.
The court imposed restrictions on both men, preventing them from traveling outside the country without prior approval and mandating that they deposit their travel documents with the court.
Ishaku, 70, who governed Taraba from 2015 to 2023, was previously invited by the EFCC in July 2023 regarding financial transactions during his tenure, resulting in his initial release on bail.
However, both Ishaku and Yero were arrested and detained by the EFCC on September 27, 2024.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 33 individuals suspected of involvement in internet fraud during a recent operation in Port Harcourt.
The agency announced the arrests via its X account (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday.
The suspects were apprehended in a sting operation in the Iwofe and Ogboro areas of the city, following credible intelligence regarding their alleged criminal activities.
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Along with the arrests, the EFCC seized a range of items, including several mobile phones, laptops, and boxes containing counterfeit United States dollars.
The operation also revealed fake stamps from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Customs, airport clearance, DHL, and FedEx, as well as two vehicles.
The suspects are currently in custody and will face charges in court upon the completion of ongoing investigations.
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