Troops of the 14 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Ohafia, on Sunday, raided a baby factory at Umunkpei Nvosi in Isiala-Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia State, allegedly operated by an indigene of the area.
The troops had on arrival at the facility rescued 22 ladies out of which 21 are pregnant, including two babies (a boy and a girl).
Other items found in the place include a Tiger generator, a stretcher, gas cylinder, a bag of rice, 4 cartoons of tin tomatoes, 5 litres of Vegetable oil, 2 bags of garri and soup ingredients.
Troops raided the baby factory following an intelligence report that the owner of the factory was selling some of the babies to criminal agents for ritual purposes, and others for child trafficking.
It was alleged that the woman was also constituting a nuisance in the area and that sometimes, human parts were seen around the building.
According to a member of the troop, the owner of the baby factory is currently at large but efforts are ongoing to apprehend her.
However, one Katherine Oyechi Ngwanma, a 34-year-old chef at the facility, was arrested by the troops.
The pregnant women, as well as the babies, have been handed over to the Abia State Government for further action.
The new Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Chinaka Maureen, could not be reached for comment.
The soldiers were led by the Army Public Relations Officer, 14 Brigade Ohafia, Lt Omale Innocent Prince, and the Media Adviser to Governor Alex Otti, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma.
In an interview after the operation, Ekeoma commended the military for the operation, stating that there was no justification for why “this kind of thing should be happening in any part of Abia State”.
He assured that Alex Otti’s administration will sanitise the state, while the government will, in collaboration with the security agencies, conduct a thorough investigation on the matter.
Otti’s government, he said, would not allow such incident to thrive in any part of the state henceforth.