The Rivers State Police Command has rescued six pregnant young women from a child trafficking syndicate arrested in Aluu, Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state.
The rescued women who are between the ages of 20 and 23 years were at various stages of their pregnancy were being camped with the intentions to trade their babies after they were delivered of them.
The pregnant women were arrested Tuesday together with Akudo Azoroh, the operator of the child trafficking centre who admitted running the illegal business but explained that she gives out the babies to families who do not have children of their own, and not to ritualists.
Mrs. Azoroh stated that the women were already pregnant when they came to her, adding that she pays off the girls as much as N800,000 to N900,00 depending on the stage of the pregnancy at the time they came and the gender of the child they delivered.
According to her; “I have given out six children in the past, I started the business three years ago. I do not have boys who get the girls pregnant, they were already pregnant when they came; they came to me on their own.
“I give out the babies only to families who do not have children and not to ritualists; I give them out for between N1.4 and N1.5 million, depending on the sex of the baby, while I pay their mothers off depending on the stage of the pregnancy at the time they came.”
Some of the pregnant women admitted to journalists that they went to the factory pregnant and that they intended to give out the children after birth because they do not have the means to support them after birth..
One of them who was very remorseful, speaking in tears, said her elder sister took her to the centre with the support of their mum. She disclosed that the father of the unborn baby was neither aware of her pregnancy nor that she was in a child trafficking home.
Meanwhile, the new Commissioner of Police (CP), Rivers state, Polycarp Nwonyi has warned corrupt officers in the state command to turn a new leaf, as he would not tolerate compromise as his stands for zero corruption and human rights abuses.
Addressing journalists in maiden meeting with the press, Nwonyi who took over from Okon Effiong Okon noted that his primary assignment in the state was ro protect life and property, and that he would not leave any stone unturned in achieving the goal.
He said; “My primary assignment is to protect life and property with humility, due diligence and intergrity. “My administration has no room for corrupt officials.
He announced that monitoring teams would go round to monitor the activities of man and officers.
“Under my watch nobody shall be detained unlawfully. Arrest by proxy is prohibited. We shall be civil to members of the public. Accidental discharge will not be tolerated.
“Defaulters shall be punished in accordance to the law and DPOs queried. I shall ensure DPOs and Head of departments visit their men in their beats.
“Visible policing will be more noticeable under my watch while standard operating procedure will be highly applicable under my watch. I reiterate my pledge to serve people of Rivers State diligently to the best of my ability”.
He insisted that crimes and criminality have no place in the stste under his watch. Nwonyi thanked the state government for always being there for the Police and appealed that it relent not in the good works.
“I commend the state Government for providing enabling environment for my predecessors, I pray that the state Government extend such gesture to my administration.
“Let me state categorically that I am here to tackle crime and criminality in accordance to international best practices and respect human rights.No efforts will be spared dealing with criminal elements in the State.
“A total war have been declared on cultism, kidnapping etc.I will spare no efforts in smoking them out”, the CP declared.
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