NAPTIP seals baby factory launches manhunt for owner

Juliana Francis

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has sealed a baby factory located in Aba, Abia State and has launched a manhunt for the fleeing alleged owner identified as Nwamaka Ijeoma Agozie.

According to Head, Press and Public Relations, Stella Nezan, three persons, including a Nigerian-American have been arrested in connection with the crime.

The factory, Nwamaka Herbal Centre, located at Ikpokwu, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State, was sealed by operatives of the Agency on Wednesday following the refusal of the owner to respond to invitations extended to her by the Agency.

Nezan said: “The investigation of the Baby factory followed the arrest of a Nigerian-American citizen who was found with two children, which she claimed to have delivered at the Nwamaka Herbal Centre, but investigations proved otherwise. The two children are supposed to be twins. The Nigerian-American had claimed to have given birth to them in March 2020 shortly after she returned from the United States of America.”

The America based Nigerian lady, who also claimed to be a Pastor in the United States, said she didn’t know the man responsible for her alleged pregnancy as she got into multiple sexual affairs in September 2018 in Amsterdam. According to her, she started experiencing strange symptoms a month later. During that period, she visited a hospital in Atlanta and the doctors allegedly told her that they couldn’t identify any pregnancy in her.

“After several encounters with doctors outside Nigeria who could not confirm her pregnant, she decided to come to Nigeria and seek the medical service of Agozie,” said Nezan.

The America based lady, further stated: “On March 5, 2020, I came to Nigeria and went to see Mrs. Ijeoma who gave me some types of medicine mixed with honey. A few hours later, I gave birth to a set of twin.”

Nezan explained: “She further claimed to have paid a whopping sum of N2million Naira for the delivery. The deal however, blew open when she approached the American Embassy in Abuja to procure necessary document that will enable her to leave Nigeria with the children. The Embassy doubted her claims and conducted a DNA test which proved negative. The DNA result revealed that she was not the biological mother of the children and that the babies were not even related. The scenario has become more suspicious as the owner of the Herbal Centre where she claimed to have delivered the babies is now on the run but security Agencies are now after her.”

The image maker revealed that the rescued babies were presently receiving adequate care at the shelter of the Agency while investigation continues.

The Director General of NAPTIP, Imaan Sulaiman- Ibrahim, expressed displeasure with the rising cases of sales of babies and child trafficking in Nigeria, promising thorough investigation into the case with a view to bringing to book the perpetrators.