The operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested a 17-year-old boy for allegedly impregnating 10 ladies in the state.

The suspect, Noble Uzuchi, was nabbed with his 29-year-old accomplice, Chigozie Ogbonna.

According to a statement issued on Friday by the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, the suspects who were running a baby factory alongside two other ladies, Favour Bright and Peace Alikoi, were arrested following a tip-off.

Iringe-Koko stated the four suspects were operating a baby factory in the Obio/Akpor and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of Rivers State before they were arrested.

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She added that 10 pregnant ladies had been rescued by police operatives after the arrest of the suspects.

The police spokesperson said: “On Saturday, January 7, 2023, at about 4.45 pm while acting on credible intelligence available to the Rivers State Police Command, C4I Intelligence Unit operatives raided two houses at Igwuruta and Omagwa communities respectively, where victims of child trafficking were being kept.

“The victims rescued in the operation are 10, most of them pregnant.”

Iringe-Koko noted that investigations revealed that when a victim delivered her baby, the syndicate leader kept the child and paid N500,000 while some of the babies previously delivered in the houses had been sold.

“All the victims confessed that they were lured to the illicit sales of children because of the need to meet some financial challenges. A Honda Pilot Jeep, white, was recovered from the syndicate leader,” she added.

The Star