Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested two women who specialised in selling new born babies at Ejigbo area of Lagos.
The suspects have allegedly sold 50 babies for between N500,000 and N1 million.
The two suspected women, Florence Nkem Douglas and Gift Michael were about to be lynched by a mob when the police intervened.
Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana revealed that the suspects were arrested on 26 August, 2019 at about 3:30pm by the Police at Ejigbo Police Station.
According to him, on the said day, a police officer attached to the Motor traffic Division of Ejigbo Police Division while controlling traffic at Jakande Gate, Ejigbo noticed a sort of commotion close to her traffic point, which prompted her to intervene and discovered that the brouhaha was about a lady named Gift Michael, 24y, found with a suspected new born baby.
“In her company is her ‘madam’, one Florence Nkem Douglas aged 50 years, both of Ijegun area of Isheri. They were about to be mobbed due to the alarm raised by those who had been trailing the duo from their residence in Ijegun as the whole community had been suspecting them for long for being in the business of buying and selling of babies in their Maternity Clinic, but for the timely intervention of the traffic Police woman, the two women with the baby were rescued to Ejigbo Divisional Police Headquarters where in-depth investigation was conducted.
“Investigation revealed that the said Florence Douglas, a native of Igueben in Edo State, who is not a registered nurse operates two Maternity Clinic named Flofidel Clinic and Maternity Homes with branches in Shosanya Street, I82, Ijegun road and Okunola Ijagemo areas. O
“During interrogation, the said Florence admitted to have been in the business of sales of babies for a while. She revealed that a baby girl is referred to as “PINK” while a baby boy is called “BLUE”; and are both referred to as “MARKET”. She further confessed that the male baby found in their custody at Jakande gate, Ejigbo, suspected to be a week old was brought to her from Gombe, enroute Akure and was to be sold for N500,000
“The rescued baby who appeared sick with symptoms suspected to be jaundice was promptly taken to hospital for medical attention. Worthy of mention are pictures of about 50 different babies in the phone of the suspect, suspected to have already been sold off. Babies are usually sold between N500,000 and N1million depending on their sex,” Elkana said.
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Zubairu Muazu has ordered the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba to take over the investigation and ensure that other members of the syndicate were apprehended.