Warri, Delta State – There was mild drama in the Ekpan area of Warri as a quick-thinking tricycle driver took two women and a newborn baby to the Ekpan Police Station instead of their intended destination after overhearing a suspicious conversation.
According to reports, four women initially boarded the tricycle. When they reached Effurun Roundabout, two of the women got off, but before leaving, one of them handed a newborn baby boy to the two women still in the tricycle, saying, “The balance has been paid.”
Alarmed by the statement, the tricycle driver diverted from the agreed route and drove straight to the Ekpan Police Station, where the two women, identified as Tessi Ikechukwu and Lauretta Akomen, were arrested alongside the baby.
Upon questioning, the women confessed to purchasing the newborn for N2 million from a baby factory in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. They revealed that they were on their way to deliver the baby to a buyer in Delta State when their plans unraveled.
Delta State Police Command’s spokesman, Bright Edafe, confirmed the incident, stating: “On 1st October 2024, at about 6:30 PM, a tricycle rider reported to Ekpan Police Station that four women boarded his tricycle. Upon reaching Effurun Roundabout, two of them alighted, and one of the women handed over a newborn baby to the others, saying the balance had been paid.”
The police investigation revealed that one of the suspects, Lauretta Akomen, 38, had purchased the baby from a traditional home in Port Harcourt. This home reportedly harbors teenage girls who are impregnated, and once they give birth, the babies are sold. Akomen also admitted that she had taken a drug to make her appear pregnant.
Following her confession, Akomen led police to the house of a woman named Gloria, who had acted as a middleman between her and the baby factory.
The police are continuing their investigation, and efforts are underway to arrest the remaining accomplices. The suspects are currently in custody.
