NAPTIP Closes Illegal Maternity Facility in Rivers State

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has sealed a residential apartment in the Elelenwo area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, suspected of being an illegal maternity facility operated by a child-trafficking syndicate. This operation, conducted in collaboration with the Rivers State Ministry of Health, resulted in the arrest of the facility owner, a facilitator in the alleged baby sale, and one other staff member.

According to Mr. Vincent Adekoye, Head of Press and Public Relations Unit at NAPTIP, the arrests followed actionable intelligence regarding a criminal network involved in the procurement, sale, and unlawful transfer of children. Investigations revealed that a female Liberian national, residing in Belgium, allegedly took custody of three children within a month of arriving in Nigeria, raising serious concerns.

The transfer of these children was linked to a transaction amounting to ₦13.5 million. NAPTIP has initiated investigations to determine the identities and whereabouts of the children involved.