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LAGOS, Nigeria -- Dozens of pregnant teenagers could face charges after being accused of planning to sell their babies into a growing child trafficking trade in Nigeria's southeast, officials said Thursday.
Thirty-two girls between 15 and 18 years old were arrested during the raid of an illegal clinic in Aba in Abia state Saturday, the state police chief said. Police believe the children were destined to be trafficked in Africa's most populous country.
The girls were taken at the Cross Foundation, locally known as Heda Clinic. The clinic's director was also arrested. The police accused him of buying the babies from the young mothers and selling them for a generous profit to childless couples. He denied the charge, and said he is a volunteer doctor who delivers the unwanted babies and then places them in orphanages.
"One of the girls told us that mothers sell their babies for $160 to $190," said Abia State police chief Bala Hassan.
Anti-trafficking agency spokesman Orakwe says that they can then be resold for up to $6,400, depending on their gender. Traditionally, boys are preferred, as they can inherit land according to the local Igbo culture.
Abortion is illegal in Nigeria, and its southeast region is mostly Catholic.
"This girl already feels that she has brought a burden onto her family and onto herself, and she wants to get it over with," says Orakwe.
Child trafficking carries a penalty of 14 years to life imprisonment.
The girls were first taken to a police station, and then to a shelter in the city of Enugu run by the anti-trafficking agency for interrogation.
