Ondo baby factory: Immigration arraigns 10 suspects

Ten suspects arrested in connection with illegal operation of Baby factory in Ondo State were yesterday arraigned before a Federal High Court in Akure, the state capital.

The suspects were arraigned for a ten count charges, all bothering on illegal operation of baby factory.

They were also accused of adoption of under aged children.

The suspects were nabbed at Ilu-Titun in Okitipupa council area of Ondo State by the state command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS on January 29, this year.

Among those nabbed by the anti-trafficking detectives of the command were five pregnant women, five nursing mothers, five babies, two of which are less than a month old and eight men whose duty it was to impregnate the women.

The men of the immigration service had handed over the suspects to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and other related matters (NAPTIP) who later dragged the suspects to court.

At the resumed hearing, the suspects pleaded not guilty to the ten count charge leveled against them.

Their counsel, Dapo Agbede later asked the court to grant the suspects bail, but this was turned down by the Presiding Judge, Isaq Sani who ordered the counsel to write to that effect in the next sitting.

There was however a mild drama after the proceedings when one of the lawyers prevented journalists from recording the suspects outside the court.

Some of the journalists have to engage the lawyer in hot argument as he threatened to smash their cameras and other gadgets.

Addressing reporters after the proceedings, Counsel to the ten suspects, Dapo Agbede, said his clients would apply for bail in the next sitting which was adjourned till February 25th