A Federal High Court in Akure, Ondo State, has sentenced a couple to 14 years in prison for running an illegal baby factory in Ilutitun, Okitipupa Local Government Area.
The convicts, Abiodun Ogundeji and Happiness Ogundeji, were found guilty of detaining pregnant underage girls and selling their babies to buyers in a human trafficking operation uncovered by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The Lagos Zonal Commander of NAPTIP, Comfort Agboko, disclosed the development during a press briefing in Ikeja, Lagos.
According to the agency, the case began in January 2014 after the Nigerian Immigration Service alerted authorities about suspicious activities linked to the couple.
How the Illegal Baby Factory Operated
Investigators discovered that the suspects operated the baby factory at their residence located at No. 10 Sarajo Street, Ilutitun.
Pregnant teenage girls were allegedly brought to the house and held against their will until they delivered babies that were later sold to customers.
During a search of the property, officials recovered several items believed to be proceeds of the illegal operation.
These included hospital cards, eight vehicles with keys, two bungalows, and ₦4 million in cash hidden in a car trunk.
Authorities also discovered a poultry farm and several domestic animals on the premises.
Court Orders Asset Forfeiture
The trial lasted more than a decade before Justice F. A. Olubanjo delivered judgment, finding the couple guilty on a 10-count charge that included unlawful detention and deprivation of personal liberty.
The offences violate Section 19(c) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law Enforcement and Administration Act, 2003.
In addition to the 14-year prison sentence without an option of fine, the court ordered that:
Eight vehicles linked to the crime be forfeited to the Federal Government
Two bungalows owned by the convicts be seized
The recovered ₦4 million be forfeited as proceeds of crime
The court also directed that the seized properties be auctioned and ordered ₦1 million each as restitution for the three victims who testified during the trial.
NAPTIP Calls Judgment a Warning to Traffickers
NAPTIP described the ruling as a landmark victory in Nigeria’s fight against human trafficking and illegal baby factories.
Agboko said the judgment sends a clear warning that perpetrators of human trafficking will eventually face justice, regardless of how long investigations or trials take.
