One Jennifer Obi and her accomplice, Osita Okafor, alleged to be operating a baby factory in Delta State, have been arrested by the police.
Obi, an estate agent and Okafor, a commercial bus driver, are also being held for child abduction.
The police image maker, Celestina Kalu, paraded the suspects on Friday before newsmen in the state.
According to her, the suspects were arrested along with seven other girls, six of whom are currently pregnant.
Kalu said, “One Blessing Aondoseer ‘f’ of Ominigboma camp reported at the ‘B’ Division Police station that sometimes in September 2016, her husband, one Telengu ‘m’ (surname unknown) brought her to Asaba with pregnancy for delivery.
“And that after delivering a baby boy, her husband, Jennifer Obi and two others took away her two-weeks-old baby to an unknown destination.
“Detectives swung into action and arrested Jennifer Obi and Osita Okafor.
“Seven other girls, out of which six are pregnant namely: Joy Chinwendu, Amaka Emeka Joy, Deborah Ogbonna, Ifunanya Agu, Chinecherem Agbo, Ogochukwu Okwe and Chioma Emmanuel were also arrested in the house of Osita Okafor at Oduke area, Asaba.
“The six pregnant girls confessed that they were there to sell their babies after delivery,” Kalu stated, adding that investigations were ongoing.
But the suspects denied the allegations, claiming to have been arrested at a maternity home where they were receiving treatment from a midwife.
On his part, Okafor, 40, said, “I am Osita Okafor, a bus driver in Asaba. My wife is a midwife.
“All these girls came for treatment before they were arrested. This complainant and her husband sold their baby.
“Her husband ran away with the money and gave her just N2, 000, and that is why the girl reported at the police station. The local vigilantee moved in following the alarm she raised,” the father of three stated.
Obi, also denied her involvement in the alleged crime, claiming that as an estate agent, she was doing her job.
She said she found a room for the complainant and her husband.
“On the day we went to look for a room, I observed that the complainant experienced labour pains and I assisted her to get to a maternity home.”
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