Twenty one pregnant teenagers were on Sunday rescued from a baby factory in Abia State by soldiers attached to the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan Barracks; 14 Brigade Headquarters of the Nigerian Army in Ohafia, Ohafia Local Government area of the State and equally rescued two babies (a boy and a girl) in the process.
During the raid, a 34-year old chef, Katherine Oyechi Ngwanma, was arrested while the owner of the facility, who apparently got wind of the invasion, fled.
The baby factory was said to have been operated by Mrs. Nma Achumba located near Umunkpeyi in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government area of the state.
Achumba, popularly known as Nma, allegedly operates the baby factory, Nma Charity Home, located near the the popular Umunkpeyi Market on Old Umuahia-Aba Road.
It was alleged she operated it under the guise of a Charity Home registered with the Abia Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development. It was learnt the facility has been raided at different times with pregnant teenage girls and the owner escaping arrest.
One of the rescued teenagers, Amaka Godwin, 23, said that she came into the home without her parent’s knowledge.
Speaking on the Nma Charity Center, which has a signpost written “Approved by Abia State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development,” the Umunkpeyi Village head, Orih Jude, said that they have been calling on the State Government to sanitise its operations in line with the law.