NSCDC Uncovers Baby Factory in Owerri, Rescues Five Pregnant Women from Suspected Human Traffickers

Officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have dismantled what authorities describe as a sophisticated baby factory operating in the heart of Owerri, Imo State capital, rescuing five pregnant women held against their will and arresting three suspects linked to the illegal operation.

The breakthrough came after weeks of intelligence gathering and surveillance by the NSCDC’s Anti-Human Trafficking Unit in collaboration with local informants. Acting on a tip-off about young women being lured, confined, and forced to carry pregnancies for sale, operatives raided a two-storey building tucked away in a quiet residential area of World Bank Estate, New Owerri, late Thursday evening.

Inside the property, officers discovered a makeshift maternity setup complete with medical equipment, ultrasound machines, delivery beds, and several rooms converted into living quarters for the women. The five rescued victims—aged between 19 and 26—were found in various stages of pregnancy, some as far along as eight months. All appeared malnourished and distressed, with accounts of being promised jobs or financial support only to be confined, monitored around the clock, and threatened with violence if they attempted to escape or contact family.

Commandant of the NSCDC in Imo State, Commandant Michael Adaralewa, who led the operation, described the scene as heartbreaking. “These young women were deceived with false promises of employment or financial help, only to be turned into commodities,” he said. “The traffickers had a ready market for newborns, negotiating prices with prospective buyers even before delivery. We are dealing with organised crime here, not isolated cases.”

The three suspects arrested—two women believed to be the operators and one man acting as security—were taken into custody. Preliminary investigations revealed they had links to a wider network spanning several states in the South-East and South-South regions. Authorities suspect the group had been operating for at least two years, trafficking vulnerable girls from rural communities and urban slums with promises of modelling gigs, business capital, or domestic work.

The rescued women received immediate medical attention from NSCDC personnel and were later transferred to a government hospital for comprehensive checks, counselling, and safe accommodation. Social welfare officials have been brought in to trace their families and provide psychosocial support. One of the victims, speaking anonymously, recounted how she was lured from her village in Abia State with the promise of a shop-opening grant, only to find herself locked away upon arrival in Owerri.

This latest discovery adds to a troubling pattern of baby factories uncovered across Nigeria in recent years. Similar operations have been raided in states including Abia, Enugu, Delta, and Lagos, where traffickers exploit poverty, unemployment, and lack of awareness to prey on desperate young women. Newborn babies are often sold for sums ranging from ₦1 million to ₦3 million, depending on gender and perceived “quality,” with some cases involving forged documents to facilitate illegal adoptions.

The NSCDC has vowed to intensify crackdowns on human trafficking syndicates, urging communities to report suspicious activities involving young women or unexplained pregnancies in confined settings. “Parents, guardians, and neighbours must stay vigilant,” Adaralewa stressed. “These criminals thrive in silence. Early information saves lives.”

The suspects face charges under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015, which carries severe penalties including life imprisonment for child-related offences. The Imo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Vulnerable Groups has pledged to work with the NSCDC to rehabilitate the rescued women and pursue justice on their behalf.