Photo: Soldiers Rescue 14 Pregnant Teenagers, 8 Children In Abia

Soldiers from 144 Battalion, Asa, in Ukwa West Local
Government Area of Abia State have rescued 14 pregnant teenagers and eight
children from a motherless babies’ home at Umunkpeyi Nvosi in Isiala Ngwa South
Local Government Area, Vanguard reports.

Also arrested by the soldiers were six young men, who
claimed to be staff of the home, and two girls, aged 16 and 25.

However, the proprietress of the home, Mrs. Nma Charity, is
still at large.

It was gathered that Mrs. Charity claimed to be running a
government-approved home, but engages in child trafficking and hiring of men
who impregnates the teenage girls.

Sources told Vanguard that on delivery, each girl got
N20,000, while their babies were sold for between N80,000 and N150,000 for
females and males, respectively.

One of the suspects, who was caught at Eke-Akpara in
Osisioma Ngwa Local Government Area, while trying to steal a baby, confessed
that he had been in the business with Mrs. Charity for a long period, stating
that his role was to steal a child and deliver it to the her, who in turn sold
it to her customers.

Acting on the confession of the suspect, the Commanding
Officer 144 Battalion, Lt. Col. Omolori Rasheed, ordered his men to raid the
home where about 14 pregnant teenagers and six young men were arrested, while
the proprietress of the home was away at the time of the raid.

A soldier, who declined to have his name in print, told
Vanguard that the babies, between the ages of one and six, and the pregnant
teenagers, would be handed over to the National Agency for the Prohibition of
Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters, NAPTIP, while the other persons
would be handed over to the police for prosecution.