NSCDC smashes illegal baby factory, arrests doctor, nurse

BY TONY EDIKE
ENUGU— OPERATIVES of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps,
NSCDC, in Enugu State, yesterday, raided a clinic where babies from
unwanted pregnancies are sold. Proprietor of the clinic, Dr Ben Agbo,
and a nurse working with him, have been arrested while a three-day old
baby about to be delivered to a buyer was recovered from them.
The illegal baby home identified as 'Moonlight Maternity home' is
located at Agbani Road by Abagana street in Coal Camp area of Enugu
capital city. The 74-year old proprietor of the clinic said he had
been operating the clinic since the past nine years admitting that he
had been selling babies to those in need under a humanitarian service
of the clinic.
The State NSCDC Commander, Nathaniel Ubong, while parading the
suspects, said they were arrested following a tedious surveillance
mounted by his men around the maternity home after a tip off by a
patriotic citizen on the illicit activities going on at the maternity
home.
He explained that they were disturbedbecause the said 'Moonlight
maternity home' was not on the list of hospitals submitted to his unit
by Ministry of Gender Affairs as those accredited for child fostering
in the state. He said his men recovered some vital documents relating
to past sales of babies by the clinic under the guise of child
fosteringwhich the doctor had no authority to conduct.
Speaking with newsmen, Dr Agbo said though he was not accredited to
conduct child fostering, he was using his clinic to render
humanitarian services to couples,who were finding it hard to produce
their own babies after many years of marriage.
Asked to explain the whereabouts of the mother of the baby found in
the home, he said she went away to seek for assistance and was yet to
return.