April 26 (UPI) — Nigerian authorities said they rescued 162 abandoned babies in raids that shut down three “baby factories.”
Commissioner for Youths and Social Development Agboola Dabiri said 100 girls and 62 boys were rescued in the raid in Lagos State.
Officials said nearly 1,700 children — described as homeless or mentally challenged — were also removed, Nigeria Daily News reported.
“To ensure protection for children in Lagos State, we have shut three illegal orphanages homes,” Dabiri, said Wednesday. “Of these, one operates as baby factory while two others were unregistered homes.”
“The children and teenagers rescued from the baby factory and homes were placed at government approved homes for care and protection,” he added.
The proliferation of baby factories in Nigeria, where children are often trafficked, has led Denmark to ban adoptions from Nigeria.
