Rabiu Ladodo, the Imo State commissioner of police, on Thursday, November 21, 2019, paraded 14 pregnant teenagers, who were arrested in an illegal home in Abia State.
Parading the pregnant teenagers, the police chief said they were kept at the home for child trafficking.
Ladodo said the teenagers were being impregnated in the home and upon delivery, the babies were would be sold to waiting buyers.
“On November 5, 2019, based on a tip – off that one Blessing Sunday, a steward at the Mma Charity Home at Umumkpee village in the Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State, had lured a pregnant mother of twins to Abia State, where a caesarean section was performed on her and her babies stolen and sold, the owner of the centre, Mma Achumba, hurriedly returned her to their village in Okwe -Owerre , Umueze 11 of the Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State while bleeding,” the police commissioner is quoted as saying.
“This angered the youth of the community , who descended on Blessing and were about to set her and her family house ablaze when a team of police officers raced to the scene, rescued her from the youth and rushed her to hospital for treatment, while the victim, Grace Onuwa, was rushed to the Police Clinic, Owerri, where she was admitted for treatment.
“Days after her discharge from the clinic, the victim led the scorpion team to Umumkpee village in Isiala Ngwa South LGA, Abia State, in search of the babies and the owner of the centre, Mma Achumba, where a total of 14 pregnant teenagers and four children were rescued.
“A breakdown of the rescued teenagers shows that four are from Ngor Okpala LGA of Imo State; two from Mbiabong in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State; while the other eight are from Obingwa/Isiala Ngwa and Bende LGAs of Abia State.
“The victims were kept at the centre waiting for the time they would be deliver of their babies and the owner of the home would pay them money ranging from N300,000 to N350,000, depending on the s*x.
It is worthy to note that these teenagers are kept there without the knowledge and consent of their parents. The director of the centre, Achumba, and her staff are still at large, while efforts are on to trace and arrest members of the syndicate.”
