Baby apprehend cleric, 16 pregnant women for allegedly running baby factory in Rivers

macfranc007 October 01, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Tunde Ososanya

- Police in Rivers state have apprehend a cleric and 16 pregnant women

- The cleric, Glory Raphael, was said to be running a baby factory in Port Harcourt, the state capital

- Three other people were apprehended alongside the cleric and the pregnant women

Operatives of the Rivers state police command have arrested a cleric and 16 pregnant women at a suspected baby factory in Port Harcourt.

Punch reports that the suspects were arrested at the suspected baby factory belonging to the cleric identified as Glory Raphael.

NAIJ.com gathers that apart from the 16 pregnant women, three other people assisting the cleric to run the baby factory were also nabbed by the police.

Zaki Ahmed, the state commissioner of police, said on Saturday, September 29, that Raphael was engaged in child trafficking in the guise of operating a legal business.

He said: “Men of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department in a sting operation on Friday stormed the premises of one Gloria Raphael, who is the General Overseer of Mount Sinai Ministry at Rukpokwu. She is into the business of child trafficking.

“Sixteen pregnant women awaiting delivery and onward sale of the children to the waiting buyers were arrested. One of them by name Chinyere Nweke had labour yesterday (Friday) and was rushed to the police clinic where she gave birth to a baby girl."

When asked why she was arrested by the police, Gloria Raphael said: “There was a day my sister, Esther Joseph, called me to come and help her; that somebody was sick.

“So, they brought the girl. She brought two other girls to me and they were having discharge. I gave them to a midwife to deliver them. Some of the girls came for prayers; they have husbands.”

One of the pregnant women, Sandra Solomon, said: “I became pregnant and I did not know what to do. So, a lady told me that they sell babies in that church and I came there. The woman did not tell me how much they sell. I don’t want to sell my baby. As we were sleeping in the church, police came and arrested all of us."

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) arrested a couple, Adeola and Binta Adebayo, in Lagos for allegedly operating a baby factory.

The operatives who also rescued three pregnant young girls arrested the couple on Sunday, January 4 at about 9pm in Ikeja.

The commissioner of police, Edgal Imohimi, disclosed that the suspects usually harboured pregnant women at their residence located at 1, Treasure Palace Close, off Hand of Fair Bus Stop, Ikotun-Igando Road.

See the faces of newly arrested criminals in Lagos state - on NAIJ.com TV