The Lagos State Police Command on Sunday said  it had rescued 19 pregnant girls and four kids suspected to have been abducted by persons engaged in child trafficking.

The Command, in a statement issued by its Public Relations Officer (PPRO) DSP Bala Elkana, on Sunday,  said that  it also had   arrested  two female suspects,  Happiness Ukwuoma, 40, and Sherifat Ipeya, 54, in connection with the incident.

Elkana said  the command had launched a manhunt on the principal suspect and mother of five simply known as Madam Oluchi said to be  a native of Mbano in Imo.

He said: “Detectives from the  Isheri-Osun Police Station rescued  19 pregnant girls and four children from four different locations in Ikotun area of Lagos State suspected to be used for child trafficking.

“The victims were mostly abducted by the suspects from different states and brought to  Lagos and turned  them into baby factories by getting them pregnant only to sell off the babies to potential buyers,“ he said.

He said that the pregnant girls, who were  between the ages of 15 and 28  were allegedly  trafficked from Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Imo states to Lagos State.

He said that the suspects who were natives of Imo  and Epe in Lagos  State did not have   any  formal medical training but were allegedly operating  as nurses.

“The girls were tricked and recruited from different areas  and brought to work as domestic staff  while the babies they gave birth to  are usually sold  for between N300,000 and N500,000 depending on their sexes.

“Boys  usually are  sold for N500,000 each and girls are sold for N300,000 each,” he said.

Elkana said that the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Zubairu Muazu,  had visited the locations  and ordered the State Criminal Investigation Department to take over the case.

“The command is working with other agencies and stakeholders in rehabilitating and resettling the pregnant girls and the babies, while investigation is ongoing and the suspects will be charged to court,“ Elkana said. (NAN)