by Adeola Balogun

The attempt by police in Enugu to nip in the bud the fast growing trend of  baby selling has yielded some positive results.

Men of the state police command, over the weekend, apprehended one Ifeoma Obike, a hair dresser, her lover and two other persons following allegations of their involvement in  child selling, also called “baby factory business”.

Obike, a native of Oguta in Imo State, has reportedly been using a hair salon  located on Chime Avenue, Enugu, as a facade to cover up for her actual “business” which is selling babies.

According to reports, when the police visited her residence on Saturday on Mbanefo Street in New Haven, where she was resident with her live-in-lover, they found a pregnant lady. The victim, whose identity was given as Ujunwa Egbe, from Ituku in Awgu Local Government Area of the state, was reported to have been taken into custody by the lovers, with a promise that she would be paid N100, 000 upon delivery of the baby.

The state’s police spokesman, Ebere Amaraizu, who confirmed the arrest, stated that “Obike combines the lucrative business of baby factory with the hair salon business.” He said, “She was nabbed alongside someone she identified as her would-be husband, a patent medicine dealer, a self acclaimed doctor and a pregnant girl on the verge of delivery.

“Obike was not a relative of Ujunwa Egbe, the pregnant girl, who has been in her custody waiting to be delivered of a baby and to be paid off with the sum of N100, 000.” It was learnt that Egbe had told the police that she was impregnated by someone unknowingly and had wanted to abort the pregnancy. She was quoted as saying that when she met one Obinna Arum of Obofia Amechi Awkunanaw, for abortion, he advised her to keep the baby.

The advice, according to her, came after several attempts to get rid of the baby failed.

Amaraizu said, “Arum linked Egbe with Obike to take care of her and the pregnancy. She was to be paid N100, 000 after delivery for her to forfeit the baby.” Also arrested was one Chidi Meniru of Ezeagu, who claimed to be a medical doctor with a clinic on Amechi Street in New Haven, Enugu.

Meniru denied being a member of the syndicate, but said he had in the past delivered a certain girl of her baby under an agreement with the other suspects. Ifeoma’s lover, Obike, who said he hailed from Isiukwuato in Abia State, told the police that they had four kids, though yet to be married formally.

The police, however, said full investigations had commenced on the incident.