‘Baby factory’ in Nigeria raided
In a police raid on a house in Nigeria, police found 11 babies and 17 pregnant girls.
Police have rescued 17 pregnant teenage girls and 11 babies from a suspected "baby factory" in Nigeria.
The house was in Nigeria's south-eastern Imo state.
Police spokeswoman Joy Elomoko said the girls were aged between 14 and 17 years old, AFP reported.
“Acting on a tip-off, a special unit of the Imo State police command raided the illegal home in Umuaka on Wednesday," Elomoko told AFP.
She said the girls were at different stages of their pregnancies.
Elomoko said the girls described harsh conditions, and said their babies were to be sold to "willing buyers".
"The girls claimed they were fed once a day and were not allowed to leave the home," said Elomoko.
There have been other cases over the years of "baby factories" found in south-eastern Nigeria, BBC News reported.
In this case, the rescued girls said they had all been made pregnant by a man, aged 23.
According to figures from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, babies can sell for about $6,400 each, the Washington Times reported.