The building on fire at Adigbe,
Abeokuta...on Thursday. Inset: The alleged owner of the building.
There was pandemonium in the
Akinremi Estate, Adigbe, Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Thursday after some youths
discovered a baby factory around Vulcaniser Bus Stop.
The incident comes barely two weeks
after eight women were rescued from a baby factory in the Akute area of the state.
Eyewitnesses told PUNCH Metro that
the youths, who thought the building was a ritual killers’ den broke into the
compound.
In a fit of rage, the youths were
said to have set two vehicles ablaze as well as the one-storey building.
A traffic official, who witnessed
the incident, said the youths were able to recover a blood-filled basin,
coffin, mortar, calabash, effigy, assorted charms, clothes, live scorpion and
other suspected fetish items.
According to residents, the
building, which is located close to Redeemed Christian Church of God, Dominion
House parish, was let out to an unidentified individual.
It was said that trouble began after
a pregnant woman, escaped from the building.
The eyewitness said, “The place was
uncovered in the wee hours of Thursday when one of the victims escaped and ran
into a nearby building. She pleaded with the residents to save her from her
assailants.
“The pregnant woman said she was
from Abia State and her elder sister sold her to the people for N100, 000.”
It was learnt that the matter was
reported at the Adigbe Police Division and the victim was taken to a nearby
hospital.
It was learnt that when the police
searched the building, three other pregnant women and five children were
rescued.
Around 8am, however, residents, who
had heard of the incident unleashed mayhem.
The eyewitness said, “On Wednesday,
the police uncovered a ritualist’s den in Ewekoro area and people were still
livid over the incident.
“When the youths heard of the
Thursday incident, they took the law into their hands.
“They set the place ablaze, but
policemen attached to the Quick Response Squad stopped them from doing more
damage.
The youths refused to leave until
the police fired teargas canisters.”
The state Commissioner of Police,
Ikemefuna Okoye, told reporters that three pregnant ladies and five kids were
rescued from the base.
Okoye maintained that the building
was a baby factory and not a ritualist’s den.
The police commissioner appealed to
residents to remain calm and vigilant, adding that thorough investigation would
be carried out.
The command’s Deputy Police Public
Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said two suspects had been arrested in
connection with the incident.
He said one Muibat Yusuf and her
brother who are both indigenes of Kwara State had been arrested.
It was learnt that the matter had
been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Eleweran
-Punch
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