by Rachel Ogbu

The State Security Service (SSS) in Abia State paraded 16 ladies aged between 17 and 37 in a baby factory yesterday where they were waiting to deliver and sell their children to prospective buyers.

Director of SSS, Mathew Obodoechi described the house where the girls lived as very unhygienic and the women were all at various stages of pregnancy.

The house at No. 3 Anyamele Street, off Nicholas Avenue, in Umungasi area of Aba, doubled as a charity foundation called Cross Foundation International. Obodoechi said the women were kept there till they delivered and then were paid N50, 000 before they were sent away. Their babaies however, stayed back and were sold to people across the country.

Run by one Dr Hyacinth who was also arrested, the foundation was duly registered with Ministry of Women Affairs.

Hyacinth said he did not see himself as somebody doing anything illegal. According to reports, he said the first time he was arrested in 2004 by the police, he went to court against the police and NAPTIP and was  awarded N4million damages, which he said the authorities were yet to pay to him.

During a press briefing, it was said that the victims were usually introduced to the centre by their close relatives and friends, including a mother who did not want her husband to know of the pregnancy of her daughter.

“It is unfortunate that some persons hide under the cover of Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) to perpetrate various forms of illegal activities,” Obodoechi lsaid, urging members of the public to desist from encouraging pregnant ladies to go to baby factories for whatever reason, whether financial or otherwise.

[READ: In advance: Pregnant woman and husband sell unborn child for N200,000 (PICTURED) ]

[READ: Myne Whitman: Why Baby Factories will continue to thrive in Nigeria (Y! Superblogger) ]

The Sun reports:

He warned that those who hide under NGOs to perpetrate modern day slave trade should  abstain from such illegalities as security agencies would stop at nothing to ensure that they were apprehended and made to face the law.

“Members of the public are urged once more to continue to give useful information on criminal elements in their midst to security agents for public good,” he said.

Their loud cries pervaded the hall as almost all of them broke down at the same time, weeping profusely as they struggled to hide their faces from the cameras and newsmen.

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