The Rivers State Police Command has paraded 39 suspects it arrested in September for various crime.
The command also burst a suspected baby factory in Rukpokwu axis of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area and reportedly rescued 16 expected mothers who were awaiting deliver and likely trafficking of their babies.
Parading the suspects and the expectant mothers at the weekend, Police Commissioners Zaki Ahmed said one of the women, Chinyere Nweke, 16, went into labour in police custody shortly after the rescue and was taken to the police clinic where she was delivered of a baby girl last Friday.
The new mother and baby were said to be at the hospital last night.
Ahmed said the command had entered into an agreement with the pastor of a Pentecostal church on rehabilitating and keeping the young mothers after their delivery.
Addressing reporters after the parade, Ahmed said 39 suspects were paraded for various crime, ranging from child trafficking, cultism, armed robbery, kidnapping as well as vandalism of telecommunication equipment and accessories valued at N30 million.
He said: “Men of the SCIID in a sting operation in the early hours of September 28 stormed the premises of Gloria Raphael, the General Overseer of Mount Sinai Ministry at Rukpokwu, who is into alleged child trafficking and sale, where 16 expectant mothers awaiting delivery and onward sale of the children to waiting buyers were arrested.
“Those arrested from the baby factory with the operators and the expectant mothers, who are due for delivery and kept there for commercial purposes, are: ThankGod Garrick (Male) (43),
Esther Joseph (32), Maureen Martins (45), Glory Raphael (40), Isabu Joy (23), Progress Ndubuisi (28), Mary Robinson (29), Chiamaka Okeze (20), Amarachi Isaac (23) and Eberechi Brown (30)
“Others are: Favour Gabriel (23), Adaeze Chinaka (27), Gift Ufomba (24), Sandra Solomon (17), Esther Mathias (23) and Chinyere Nweke (16).
“One of them, Chinyere Nweke, was in labour yesterday and was conveyed to the Police Clinic where she gave birth to a baby girl. All the suspects are with us and are helping us in our investigation at the State CIID, Port Harcourt.”
Also, six suspected robbers were arrested.
They were reportedly arrested by men of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS).
They are: Obioma Mmerenini (29), Ezekiel Chibueze (22), Opone Chibueze (25), Promise Peter (20), Solomon Otuene (32) and Justice Amadi (19).
Ahmed said operatives of Anti-Cultism Unit of the command, in the last two weeks, arrested the following suspects: Lebari Nwineewii, Dormene Nwiaka, Samuel Owhor, Godspower Amakorwo, Karma Victor, Sudor Mark and Piaro Francis for alleged cultism.
They were said to have confessed to belonging various cult groups which recently attacked one another in supremacy battles.
Others are: Ovie Osumenyi, Godknows Nhekanwo, Alleluya Justice, Marvelous Chukwu, Owaji Iragunima, Kingsley Amadike, Diginee Prince, Gift Deebor, Gideon Leero (Males) and Charity Benneth (Female).