Seun Fasope
A shocking tale of kidnapping, forced impregnation and baby trafficking has unfolded in Akwa Ibom State, following the discovery of a baby factory at the World Bank Estate in Owerri, Imo State.
According to the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner of Police, Waheed Ayilara, a woman identified as Mrs. Eunice Eze, 56, was arrested on July 15, 2024, for operating the baby factory.
Ayilara revealed that 10 pregnant women and five kidnapped men were rescued from the factory, where they had been held captive and forced to participate in a sinister baby-making scheme.
The commissioner explained that the kidnapped men were abducted in a one-chance operation held in different parts of the country and brought to the baby factory, locked up and forced to impregnate the women, who were also being held against their will.
The police boss said preliminary findings showed that some of the men had been abducted for more than two years as they were not allowed to leave the premises which was always under heavy security.
The rescued kidnapped victims were David Okennee Samson, Jeremiah Jackson John, Adefemi Opeyemi Sodiq, Haruna Mohammed Yakub, and Sanni Olatoye.
Ayilara said that the police were investigating the case and were working to identify the buyers of the babies.
“We are determined to bring all those involved in this nefarious activity to justice,” he said.
The commissioner also appealed to members of the public to provide information that could lead to the arrest of other suspects involved in the baby factory.
Speaking further, the police commissioner said 21 criminal suspects are in police custody for allegedly committing various offences, including kidnapping, armed robbery, attempted murder, vandalisation, cultism, and stealing among others.
He added that operatives of the command, through credible information and a painstaking investigation, recovered firearms and ammunitions used by a notorious kidnapping syndicate led by a wanted kidnapper one Ubong Effiong Archibong a.k.a Condiment.
“The kidnapping syndicate is responsible for the kidnapping and killing of several persons. The said firearms were recovered at a private mortuary being used as the armoury at Ekeya, Okobo L.G.A.
“The firearms are: Two AK-47 Rifles, Two G3 Rifles, One (1) Double Barrel Rifle, One (1) Single Barrel Rifle, Five Magazines and Seven Live Ammunitions,” he said.
One of the rescued kidnapped victims, Jeremiah Jackson John who spoke to our correspondent recounted the harrowing experience of being held captive in the factory.
John who said he was kidnapped in a one-chance operation on his way to Edo from Ondo State on October 2023 explained, “We were kidnapped from different parts of Nigeria and brought to this place.
“We were locked up and forced to impregnate the women. Anyone who tried to escape was dealt with severely. I saw one of my fellow captives, who attempted to escape, being butchered and killed. His corpse was buried in a shallow grave within the factory premises.”
The victim described the factory as a “house of horror,” where the kidnapped men were forced to live in squalid conditions and were subjected to physical and emotional abuse.
He added, “We were treated like animals. We were given food and water, but we were not allowed to leave the premises. We were forced to sleep on the floor, and we were beaten regularly.”
Also speaking, another victim, Adefemi Opeyemi Sodiq said he had been a victim of kidnapping twice.
Sodiq, who claimed to be a phone seller with offices located within Lagos and Ogun communities, lamented that he became a victim of another kidnapping on November 9, 2022, on his way from his friend’s house in Ogere in Ogun State to report his earlier abductions at a police station.
The rescued victim explained that he had earlier been abducted and was released less than a month before he fell into the trap of “one-chance kidnappers.”
He lamented that he had been living in the baby factory since 2022, as he was only allowed to eat, and have sexual intercourse with different girls for baby-making purposes.
“I was kidnapped on my way to work in Lagos. This happened just a few days after I was released by some kidnappers that took my whole family.
“So, we went to hide at a friend’s house in Ogere area of Ogun State because we realised that my home was not safe again and I didn’t want to be a victim for the third time.
“I was first kidnapped along the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway in June 2022 when I was Travelling to Abeokuta from Sango. I spent about 30 days in their captivity and was not released until my friends and family raised the 10 million naira ransom requested by the kidnappers.
“As if that was not enough, they stormed our house again two weeks after to take myself, my wife and our three children.”
When asked how the kidnappers knew his home address, Sodiq said he gave it to them during the first kidnapping incident.
“They asked for my home details and I gave it to them, I did not know they would use it against me again.
“The second time I was kidnapped with my family, they asked me to pay ransom the second time. We spent about three months before we were released after we were able to pay.
“It was this security threat to our life that made us relocate to my friend’s home in Ogere, but unfortunately I ended up in the hands of one-chance kidnappers,” he expressed bitterly.
Speaking about his experience at the baby factory, Sodiq added, “When I arrived at the factory, I was locked up in a small room with several other men. We were given food and water, but we were not allowed to leave the room. We were forced to sleep on the floor, and we were beaten regularly.
“After a few days, I was taken out of the room and forced to impregnate one of the women. I was told that if I refused, I would be killed. I was terrified, but I had no choice. I was forced to have sex with the woman, and I was told that I would have to do it again and again until she became pregnant.”
“I was held captive for about two years, and during that time, I was forced to impregnate several women. I was treated like an animal, and I was subjected to physical and emotional abuse. I thought I was going to die in that place.
“I am grateful to the police for rescuing me, and I am grateful to the government for providing me with support and counselling. I hope that my story will help to raise awareness about human trafficking and baby factories, and I hope that it will help to bring an end to these evil practices.”
A victim identified as David Okennee expressed gratitude to the police for rescuing them from the factory but lamented the trauma and psychological damage he had suffered during his captivity.
“I am still trying to come to terms with what happened to me. I am grateful to be alive, but I know that I will never forget the horrors I experienced in that factory,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the police commissioner said efforts are ongoing to arrest other members of the baby factory syndicate.
Ayilara noted, “We will do everything to locate the rest of the syndicate because that is the only way these people can be completely safe.
“They already know how this syndicate operate, so, their lives is at risk, we will try all we can to protect them and also get all the suspects in this case arrested and charged to court soon.”
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