The Enugu State Police Command on
Saturday rescued nine pregnant girls during a raid on a baby factory at the 9th
Mile area of the state.
The Police Public Relations Officer
of the command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, said that the baby
factory belonged to Ikechukwu Onoh who ran the baby factory from
his home. Onoh was arrested during the raid and the girls are now in Police
custody
The ladies were identified as Stella
James, 19, from Ohaozara, Ebonyi State; Eze Jennifer, 19, from Obukpa in Nsukka
LGA, Enugu State; Ugwu Christabel, 17, a native of Aku, in Igbo-Etiti LGA,
Enugu State; Happiness Mbaonu, 17, from Nnewi, Anambra State; and Ovunna
Ifeoma, 20, from Ezza, in Ebonyi State, Esther Nwankwo, 21, a native of
Nkalagu, in Ebonyi State; Onyedika Agu, 23, of Isuawa, Awgu in Enugu State;
Blessing James, 23, from Ohafia, Abia State; and Chibueze Ujunwa, 24, from
Aninri LGA, Enugu State.
Onoh claimed that he got a
provisional approval in October 2007 from the Ministry of Women Affairs and
Social Development in the state to admit and shelter pregnant women in his
hospital, known as Tex Hospital and Maternity Home, which is located at 9th
Mile. He said he decided to keep the pregnant girls in his private residence
when the said hospital was closed down.
He admitted that he only notified
the authorities through phone calls whenever he admitted any pregnant woman
rather than follow the normal procedure of formally informing although the
ministry within 24 hours of admitting them.
Some of the girls told police that
Onoh took care of them on the agreement that he would take the babies upon
delivery.
Christabel, who claimed she got
pregnant after she was raped, said her aunt directed her to Onoh’s residence.
She said her parents wanted to marry
her off to an old man because of the ‘unwanted’ pregnancy.
Another girl, Happiness Mbaonu, said
she was impregnated by an unknown man who took her home when she was stranded
at Holy Ghost Park in Enugu.
This, she said made her seek for assistance through one of her relations, who directed her to the home.
This, she said made her seek for assistance through one of her relations, who directed her to the home.
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