Operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have dismantled an alleged baby factory syndicate in Abaren Village, Mowe, rescuing two heavily pregnant women and four children in an intelligence-led operation.
Six suspects were arrested during the operation, including five alleged members of the syndicate and a nurse identified as Oseni Idaya.
The suspects were identified as Florence Ogbona, 58; Magdalene Julius, 63; Chidike Egwuonwu, 40; Onyechu Chidike, 35; Stephen Ogbona, 39; and Idaya.
The spokesperson for the command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Oluseyi Babaseyi, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists on Tuesday.
Babaseyi said the operation was conducted at about 8am on 24 August 2026 after the police received sustained intelligence about alleged human trafficking and illegal adoption activities at a facility on Toluwalase Street, Abaren Village, via Gbarinmole, Mowe.
He said operatives attached to the Mowe Division stormed the location and rescued two pregnant women.
They were identified as 23-year-old Ilesanmi Foluke, who was seven months pregnant, and 20-year-old Ejekwa Melody, who was eight months pregnant.
Four children, comprising two boys and two girls, were also recovered from the premises.
Babaseyi said further intelligence-led operations took the police to a hospital within the Mowe area, where another alleged victim, 26-year-old Blessing Bright Effiong, had given birth to a baby boy on 20 August.
According to him, the whereabouts of Effiong’s newborn could not be established while the mother was receiving medical treatment, leading to the arrest of the attending nurse as investigations were intensified to locate the child.
The police said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, for further investigation.
The investigation is expected to establish the full extent of the alleged syndicate’s activities, locate the missing newborn and determine the culpability of those arrested.
The command said members of the public would be updated on developments as the investigation progresses.
The Commissioner of Police, Bode Ojajuni, commended the Mowe Division operatives for their prompt response and operational effectiveness.
Ojajuni reaffirmed the command’s commitment to tackling human trafficking, child trading and other forms of violent crime across Ogun State.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and provide the police with timely and credible information about suspicious individuals or activities.
The command said residents could report suspicious activities through its Gateway Shield toll-free line or its emergency telephone lines.
