7th September, 2020
By Taiwo Okanlawon
A baby factory that was allegedly operating under the guise of an orphanage in Ile-Ife has been discovered by Osun State Government.
It was learnt that 47 children were evacuated from the building, where women are apparently impregnated and their babies sold off by operators.
An undergraduate was also among women rescued at the facility which has now been sealed off by the state government.
The Women, Children and Social Affairs Commissioner Osun State, Olubukola Olaboopo led other officials of the ministry and police to seal off the facility identified as Oroyemi Elizabeth Covenant Home and Care Centre.
Olaboopo revealed that government received reports on the goings-on in the building over a period of three to four years suggesting that there were some illegal activities there.
She said despite warnings by the government, the owner persisted, thus breaching the Child Right Laws, and resulting in the closure of the building.
“We have gotten several reports over a period of 3-4 years, reporting how the children in Oroyemi Elizabeth Covenant Home and Care Centre are malnourished and the environment have been very dirty and how some illegal activities have been going on more or less like a baby factory and many more allegations,” she said.
“We rescued 47 children; 10-15 adults girls are there. Those with physical disabilities,among whom is an undergraduate of Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, were among those that were rescued. Most of them were crying, they refused to follow us but we were able to take three of them.
“As at this (yesterday) morning, the matron who is taking care of those adults just told me that it seems two of them are breastfeeding. When we interrogated them, they said they have never given birth to a child. So it means that we want to know who got them pregnant when they are not married.
“How come they are pregnant? So there are so many things underneath and the state government is still investigating.”