Chidozie and The victims
Thirty nine-year-old Angela Chidozie, who
was arrested last week Friday by men of the Ogun State Police Command
at a house she allegedly used as a ‘baby factory’ in Akute area of the
state, is currently cooling off at the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child
Labour Unit of the command.
She was arrested with eight young girls who are in different stages of pregnancy.
The fair-complexioned lady told Saturday PUNCH that money was not the aim of operating the business.
Chidozie insisted that she was sure none of her patrons bought the babies for ritual purposes.
Asked how she was sure of that, she said,
“I study those who come to buy babies from me. When I am sure that they
actually want to buy because they are looking for the fruits of the
womb, I sell the babies to them.
“It is my job now. I know how to test the
women to see if they actually cannot have children. When I see people
who come to me for children, I know if they want the babies for ritual
purposes or not. I ensure the women come with their husbands. I don’t
sell children to them if they don’t come with their spouses.
“It is not about the money. My concern is
just to help the young girls and to help those who want children.
This
is why I pray on the babies before I hand them over to the buyers. I
make sure the babies are okay.”
Saturday PUNCH asked how she
ensured that the babies were okay as she claimed after she had sold them
off, Chidozie said, “I just know. Some buyers come back to thank me and
even buy cartons of soft drinks for me in appreciation.”
Chidozie said she gave the girls in her ‘baby factory’ ante-natal care in the house where she kept them.
She explained that she had a dedicated nurse who took care of the pregnant girls.
“One day, I met a woman who wore a nurse
uniform, I approached her and asked if she could treat my sister. She
followed me home and I introduced her to the girls. She later agreed to
come and treat them anytime necessary.
“She gave the girls injection anytime they needed treatment. She also supplied their medicines.
“When the girls were due, the nurse
delivered them of the babies in my house but when she was not around and
a girl was in labour, I would deliver the girl of the baby myself. I
can do it because I am a herbal doctor; so I know how to deliver women
of babies. I have only personally delivered three girls of their
babies.”
Chidozie insisted that she did not force
any of the girls into the business. She said they came to her because
they did not want their babies.
She claimed she screened the girls before
accepting them, adding that she rejected anyone that did not provide
satisfactory answers to her questions.
“I asked them where their parents were
and who impregnated them. If the girls didn’t give me any good response,
I sent them back to where they came from. Even last week I still sent
three of them away.”
Asked if she actually asked any of the
eight girls who impregnated them, Chidozie struck a thoughtful pose and
said, “I can’t remember.”
“But in the past, I have called the
boyfriends of pregnant girls in my custody to confirm that they want
their babies sold,” she said.
Chidozie became evasive when asked the highest amount she had ever sold a baby.
“I don’t collect much; you know fingers
are not equal. Some come to my house begging that they don’t have much. I
collect N200,000 from some, even N150,000 from some others. I don’t
really know where those who approach me for babies come from.”
Saturday PUNCH asked why she did
not direct the girls to proper orphanages if she was not doing it for
the money, she said “I don’t know why they prefer me.”
She had told the police upon her arrest
that she gave the pregnant girls between N70,000 and N80,000 after their
babies were sold off at the rate of N300,000.
Chidozie said her husband knew she was involved in the business in the past but had warned her to stop the business.
The eight girls rescued from Chidozie’s
‘baby factory’ are also in the custody of the Anti-Human Trafficking and
Child Labour Unit.
Police Public Relations Officer of the
state command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, said the AHTCLU had started getting
in touch with the families of the girls.
He said, “This is not a careless police
command. The girls will help us in the investigation and prosecution of
this case. Efforts are ongoing to link the girls with their families. At
the moment, we have been able to contact three of the families.
“Investigation has been widened in this
case to include potential baby buyers and past buyers who have
patronised the woman (Chidozie).”
He said the baby factory was discovered
as a result of the persistence of a resident of the area who gave a
tip-off on the activities in the house.
The police spokesperson urged the public to give information to the police without fear.
He said, “The man who gave the tip-off
actually reported twice. The first time, the police went there and saw
nothing. The man reported again and it was discovered that the woman
(Chidozie) hid the girls in the wardrobe. One of them actually fainted
as a result of that and had to be taken to the hospital.
“We are living in the past. That is why people think that when they give information to the police, it may bounce back on them.
“But members of the public
should know who to give information to. They should Approach an officer
who heads a formation on any information because such officers can
distinguish between rumours and intelligence.”
