“Babies Priced N500K–N1.8M In Lagos: Tinubu-Era Hardship Allegedly Pushes Mothers Into N1M Deals”
By Passman Akpos
A major crackdown by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has led to the discovery of a suspected baby factory in the Badagry area of Lagos, with 18 pregnant women and 10 children rescued during a late-night operation.
The raid, carried out between Wednesday night and the early hours of Thursday in Okuju, Ilado, followed three weeks of intelligence gathering by the Lagos State Command. Authorities arrested two suspects, identified as Joy Okeke and Raphael Agwu, believed to be the operators of the facility.
Speaking during a briefing at the NSCDC office in Ibereko, Badagry Division, the Lagos State Commandant, Adedotun Keshinro, described the operation as a significant breakthrough against human trafficking and illegal adoption networks.
According to Keshinro, preliminary investigations revealed that the victims—aged between 18 and 30—were lured through offers advertised on Facebook. The arrangement allegedly involved pregnant women agreeing to surrender their babies after delivery in exchange for payments ranging from N500,000 to N1.8 million.
“They lure pregnant women with promises of payment after delivery. Once the babies are born, they are taken from the mothers and sold to buyers,” Keshinro stated, condemning the act as a “grievous crime against humanity.”
Authorities disclosed that the facility, a large multi-room apartment, was used to house the women, some of whom arrived with infants and young children allegedly intended for sale. One of the rescued women reportedly suffered a miscarriage, leaving 17 others still pregnant.
Items recovered from the premises included a pumping machine, generator, cooking equipment, baby care products, mobile phones, and other household items believed to support the illegal operation.
The suspects are expected to be handed over to the police for prosecution, while the rescued victims will be transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) for rehabilitation and care.
In her response, Okeke claimed the operation was an informal adoption service for childless couples. “We are adopting children to give to those who don’t have children,” she said, adding that she relocated from Ikorodu to Badagry earlier this year in search of a larger facility. She declined to disclose further details, insisting she would only speak in the presence of her lawyer.
However, accounts from some of the victims painted a troubling picture. Several women told journalists they willingly enrolled after negotiating payments online, with agreed sums ranging from N1 million to N1.8 million in exchange for their babies after delivery.
One of the victims, identified simply as Joy, said she resorted to the arrangement after becoming pregnant by what she described as an “irresponsible man,” adding that she already had two children being cared for by her mother in the village.
Despite claims that they were well-fed and allowed access to mobile phones and medical care, the women revealed they were not permitted to leave the facility freely, raising further concerns about coercion and exploitation.
The discovery has sparked renewed calls for stricter monitoring of illegal adoption practices and online recruitment schemes, as authorities intensify efforts to dismantle trafficking networks operating under the guise of social welfare.
