Officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC,
Imo state command have arrested a 52 year old woman, Mrs
Esther Akunmadu (pictured above), for allegedly operating a baby
factory in the Umutueke community in Imo state.
Parading her before newsmen, the state NSCDC deputy
commandant, Ade Micheal, said the woman was arrested following
a tip off from members of the community, a claim the accused
woman denied
“She said she is a retired midwife and she runs a maternity
home that has no name and no certificate.” he said.
A search carried out at the supposed maternity home which she
opened about a year ago revealed she had four women and two
one-week old babies in the premises. The NSCDC boss alleged
that the woman bribed his men with N100,000 which they collected
but presented before newsmen.
When interrogated, a distraught Mrs Akunmadu who spoke in
pidgin English denied running a baby factory but admitted bribing
the officials with N100,000. She said the day the men came to raid
her maternity home, she was about going to the market to buy
biscuits and sweets which she also sells and that when she saw
the seriousness of the NSCDC officials, she gave them the money
so that they could leave her alone and not drag her into any
trouble.
When interrogated, one of the young girls found at her supposed
maternity home, said her mother actually brought her to Mrs
Akunmadu for treatment until she delivers her baby but does not
know if there was any other agreement between her mother and
the accused woman as she had only stayed barely a week at the
maternity home.
In a related development, the Anambra state police command
arrested and paraded a couple pictured above, that specialize in
stealing new born babies at various hospitals in the state.
Parading the couple before newsmen at the state command
headquarters in Awka the state capital on Saturday Nov 1st, the
state Commissioner of Police, Hassan Karma said the couple who
are in their early twenties collaborate with some hospital nurses
to steal the new born babies from their mothers while they are still
in hospital.
Photo credit: Screen-grab from Channels TV news
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