The Ondo State Police Command on Sunday said it had arrested one Ada Clement for allegedly operating a baby factory in Ore, the headquarters of Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

According to the Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr. Olayinka Ayanlade, in a statement, the men of the command rescued five pregnant underage girls found in the illegal facility.

The police said the suspect sold babies for N400,000 and above for female children and N600,000 and above for male children, adding that one of the victims had delivered a baby boy in the facility.

The statement read, “The Ondo State Police Command has uncovered a suspected baby factory and human trafficking syndicate operating within Ore, Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

“The case, which was transferred from the Ore Division to the Command’s Gender-Based Violence Unit, is presently under active investigation.

Ayanlade said the incident came to light on the 21st of October, 2025, “when one Vivian Peter, a 17-year-old girl from Ikot Ekpan, Akwa Ibom State, who is presently pregnant, reported at Ore Division that she had been trafficked from Akwa Ibom to Ore under the guise of being offered a job opportunity.

“Upon her arrival in Ore, she was taken to a supposed clinic, which later turned out to be a baby factory, where she met other pregnant girls allegedly being held for exploitation.

“She further revealed that the owner of the facility, identified as one Ada Clement, later instructed that she be taken to another hospital in Ore for a medical scan.

“However, she managed to escape and sought refuge at Ore Division, where she reported the incident to the police.”

Acting swiftly on the report, the PPRO said operatives from Ore Division, in collaboration with the gender unit, raided the said facility, “leading to the successful rescue of five pregnant girls and a baby boy.

“It was discovered that one of the victims had already given birth and is presently receiving post-natal treatment at the General Hospital, Ore, while the remaining rescued victims are in safe protective custody of the police.”

He added that preliminary investigation had revealed that the suspect, Ada Clement, and her accomplices had confessed to the crime, admitting that the facility was being used as a baby factory, where young pregnant girls were kept until they delivered, after which their babies were sold to individuals seeking children.

“It was further discovered that the babies were sold for N400,000 and above for female children, and N600,000 and above for male children,” he noted

To this end, the PPRO said the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Adebowale Lawal, has ordered a full investigation into the incident to ensure that all members of the trafficking ring are apprehended and prosecuted accordingly.

He further disclosed that frantic efforts were ongoing to arrest other fleeing members of the syndicate, who are currently being trailed by detectives from the command’s gender-based violence unit.

The Command had earlier this month said it arrested a man, Bolaji Oluwasetire, for sexually assaulting a six-year-old girl.

The suspect, who allegedly committed the offence at Ore, the headquarters of Odigbo Local Government Area of the state, was said to have attempted to kill himself after being caught in the act.

According to Ayanlade, the suspect had been taken to a hospital where he was receiving treatment after drinking a poisonous substance. (The PUNCH)