Operatives of Imo State Police Command, Shell Camp Division, have arrested a couple, Mr Chukwudinma and Mrs Comfort Umunnakwe for allegedly running a baby factory in the state.

The suspects, who owned Comfort Orphanage home, situated at World bank, Owerri were yesterday paraded at the Command’s headquarters in Owerri. They were arrested following intelligence report received by the operatives.

The Command’s spokesperson, ASP Henry Okoye said the arrest was in furtherance to the commitment of the command led by CP Aboki Danjuma to curb the menace of baby factory, child trafficking and other forms of crime in the state.

Okoye disclosed that following the confessional statements made by some of the victims, the suspects coaxed their victim into signing a document to give away their children upon delivery for either N400, 000 or N500, 000 depending on the gender of the child.

He disclosed that the suspect who had confessed of being in the criminal activity for over 12 years would be arraigned in court upon completion of investigation.

Okoye urged the residents of the state to continually support the command by reporting any criminal or suspicious activity within their vicinity to the nearest Police Station or via the Command’s emergency lines.

Meanwhile, one of victims simply identified as Ijeoma told newsmen that the suspects upon luring them to the Orphanage home would forcefully collect their phones and locked them up in secluded rooms within the child care home and only feed them once a day.

She further disclosed that contrary to the promises made by the suspects to adequate take care of them, they were rather subjected to all forms of inhuman treatments and threats.

“Immediately I was brought to that place by a woman I met on the road, these people (the suspects) collected my phone and have been forcing me to sign a document that I am going to sell my baby to them once I deliver.

“I refused to sign the document and ever since then I have been asking them to allow me go or to contact my family but they refused till now,” the victim said.