The police also claimed to have arrested twenty-one persons suspected to be behind the illicit business, it disclosed that it recovered six babies in the hideout of the suspects.
Police Public Relations Officer in the state Mrs. Celestina Kalu confirmed that the police following a tip-off, rescued over forty babies allegedly put on sale at various illegal orphanage homes in Asaba, Kwale and Warri.
She said “Recently, the police uncovered Baby factory behind NTA Asaba and arrested the operators of the factory besides, the police also arrested another 21 persons (male and female) suspected to be running illegal orphanage homes in Warri metropolis, their hideout as located at the outskirt of Warri towards Udu where the police uncovered an uncompleted buildings where the six babies were discovered”, disclosing that the suspects were currently helping the police for further investigation.
President of Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Nigerian Child welfare fund, Mr. Joshua Omorere has called on the state government to investigate alleged sale of a baby boy, Alexander Damian by the matron of Saint Anne’s Orphanage home, Warri, Rev. Sister Mary Osifo and the welfare officer in charge of Udu Local Government Area, Eunice Metighan, describing the process as a clear child trafficking case.
The nine-month old Damain was said to have been taken from his mother who was then battling a mental ailment, just as Omorere alleged that a woman named Beauty Efokodha bought the child from the church under the guise of adoption.
Mrs. Kalu said that the suspects upon interrogation confessed to the crime, saying in most cases that they buy from relations of mentally challenged persons and take them to the home where they are being brought up before selling them.
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