Another Nigeria Baby Factory Uncovered

In June 2011, we covered the story of 32 expectant mothers from a baby trafficking operation in Abia state in Nigeria.

Last month, we showed how visas can be strong-armed from the US Embassy in this post.

Now, there are four stories about a different baby-factory-disguised-as-an-orphanage in the southern area of Anambra state. Both employees and the pregnant mothers have been arrested. One article says that this is the second time the owner has been arrested for child trafficking.

The Australian news piece Orphanage owner accused of impregnating 17 girls [Australian Broadcasting Company 10/16/11] indicates that the orphanage owner impregnated 17 girls and that the unidentified owner has been arrested. “Officers say they believe the owner was planning to sell their babies. Police are now trying to contact the girls’ parents to reunite the families.” We believe that this is related to three Nigerian articles also published. The owner is female. She is accused of overseeing the baby factory operation according to the articles we cite below.

The Nigerian online newspaper Punch reports in Police arrest 30 pregnant teenagers in Anambra orphanage [10/16/11 by Emmanuel Obe] that on Friday  police raided the Iheanyi Ezuma Foundation “, a motherless babies’ home in Ihiala, and arrested 30 pregnant teenage girls, two security guards and two unidentified men, as well as the managing director of the home, Mrs. Ngozi Ezuma.

The police had swooped on the premises of the foundation, following a tip-off from a concerned citizen, with the intention to arrest Ezuma on suspicion of supervising illegal activities.

In an attempt to evade arrest, the girls, whose pregnancies were said to be in advanced stages, had explained that they were in the compound to be delivered of their babies when the law enforcement officers arrived.

Three of the expectant mothers claimed to be students of the Federal College of Education in Owerri.

The rest identified themselves as secondary school pupils when they were accosted.

Four of the pregnant girls have since been delivered of new born babies at the General Hospital in Enugu-Ukwu.

When contacted by SATURDAY PUNCH, the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Emeka Chukwuemeka, confirmed the arrests and said investigations were still in progress to ascertain what the girls were actually doing in the compound.

Chukwuemeka said the girls might be returned to their parents after the investigations.

He lamented the conversion of motherless babies’ homes to venues of an uncharitable trade in human beings, urging the proprietors of such institutions to stop exploiting innocent teenagers for their selfish gain.

On her part, Ezuma claimed that the ministry of women affairs was aware of the kind of business she did and she insisted that the girls were brought to her foundation with the consent of their parents and guardians.

She denied involvement in abortion at the motherless babies’ home and argued that her foundation offered hope to helpless teenage girls, who got landed with unwanted pregnancies through misadventure.

Ezuma said that with the consent of their parents or guardians, the foundation encouraged young girls who found themselves in such a condition to keep their pregnancies and to give birth to their babies, rather than indulge in abortion.

The Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, SATURDAY PUNCH gathered, had earlier sealed off the motherless babies’ home in May 2011.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Ego Uzoezie, had then alerted the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Amobi Ilika, to mount surveillance on the hospital, since it was undermining public health.

She advised other orphanages and motherless babies’ homes, as well as compassionate homes in the state, to comply with the laid down rules, guidelines and regulations for the establishment, management and monitoring of child care institutions in Nigeria, adding that any home found wanting would be sanctioned.

The Director, Child Development of the ministry, Mr. Emeka Ejide, confirmed that the ministry had taken a child from the home for fostering. But he said that that did not justify the illegal practices of the home. “

The Nigerian site 24/7 NigerianNewsUpdate reports on October 16, 2011 in Police Arrest 30 Pregnant Teenagers, Proprietor At Anambra Motherless Home that “The Anambra state Police Command yesterday arrested the Managing Director of one Iheanyi Ezuma Foundation, Ihiala, Ihiala LGA, Mrs Ngozi Ezuma and three members of her staff for not being able to explain how 30 pregnant teenagers came into her motherless babies ‘home.

Surprisingly twenty-seven of the girls were said to be secondary school dropouts while three claimed to be students of Alvan Ikoku College of Education Owerri  .

Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Emeka Chukwuemeka who confirmed the arrests, said that investigations are on the matter and to unmask all those directly or remotely connected to the syndicate. He said the command may also hand over the girls back to their families once they are traced and willing.

He warned randy men and boys to desist from luring under-aged girls to avoid ruining their future, and all illegal motherless babies homes and Orphanages to desist from operation or face the full wrath of the law.

He sais,”People should stop taking advantage of these innocent girls for business rather than going into Charity work they registered for …’’.

Mrs Ezuma disclosed that the teenage girls were brought to her foundation with the consent of their parents and guardians, and that they were helping the girls out purely on compassionate grounds. She said they encourage their families to allow the young girls with pregnancy to carry them to term instead of abortion. She said that the foundation’s major trust included providing love and care for the pregnant teenagers and home to the homeless.

Ezuma pointed out that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development was aware of their operation as they had earlier taken away a 15month old baby from their [sic]. The Ministry allegedly acknowledged that the baby was undergoing fostering process and that the documents about the baby and pictures of those that brought the baby are intact as it was never a business deal between the ministry and Mrs Ezuma but an official process of fostering a child.

The petition to the police had alleged that flashy vehicles and under age girls always seen around the building gave away their operations as being suspicious and therefore alerted the police to check on the activities behind the scene in the building.”

From The Nation 17 pregnant teenagers arrested in Anambra baby factory [10/15/11 by Nwanosike Onu], the story is a bit different.

“There was tension in Anambra State yesterday, following the invasion of an alleged baby factory in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State being used for child trafficking.

During the raid by policemen, 17 pregnant teenage girls were arrested. Eight other girls who were not pregnant as well as two men were also arrested.

Also, the owner of the baby factory known as Spormil Hospital and Maternity or Iheanyi Ezuma Foundation, believed to be a non-governmental organisation, Mrs. Ngozi Ezuma was arrested.

The police team was led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Okere Okey and Inspector Francis Ogbuonye from the office of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Awka.

The Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr. Ego Uzoezie, regretted that some registered outfits go beyond their scope to harbour pregnant girls in their organisations.

“What the woman is doing is not what she was registered for, and this kind of thing should not be encouraged in our society. It is unfortunate and my ministry can not continue like this,” he said.

The Nation noted that it was the second time Mrs. Ezuma would be arrested in the state over child trafficking.”

The Director of Child Development in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Emeka Ejide said “The foundation is registered under a non-government organisation, but the latest discovery is not in the certificate given to the office.”

Speaking with the Nation, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Okoi Apama, who stood in for the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department, Mike Okoli, said that the command got to know about the activities of the centre through a petition from a concerned Nigerian.

According to him, the police informant said that such activities had been going on for long, adding that efforts made to stop the woman by the people around the vicinity proved abortive.

He said the informant also suspected a ritual act going on in the environment and decided to involve the police to investigate the woman. “Then we swooped on the place and discovered that a good number of teenage girls were pregnant. We had to arrest all of them, including the proprietress who claims to be a staff nurse and midwife,” Apama said.”

“But the 49-year-old proprietress of the centre, Mrs. Ngozi Ezuma, told The Nation that she had been in business for the past four years, adding that Spormil was a hospital and maternity home which she said was different from Iheanyi Ezuma Foundation.

Ezuma pleaded for mercy, saying: “I know I have erred. I will not do it again. I do not sell babies, when they deliver, their parents usually come to take them away. Rather than encouraging them to do abortion, we take care of them.”

REFORM Puzzle Piece