The Anambra state Police Command yesterday arrested the Managing Director of one Iheanyi Ezuma Foundation, Ihiala, Ihiala LGA, Mrs Ngozi Ezuma and three members of her staff for not being able to explain how 30 pregnant teenagers came into her motherless babies ‘home .
The command raided of the home on a tip-off from a concerned neighbour on their activities.
Four of them have so far put to bed since their evacuation to Awka yesterday at the Enugu-Ukwu General Hospital while two others were already in labour, as at press time yesterday.
Surprisingly twenty-seven of the girls were said to be secondary school dropouts while three claimed to be students of Alvan Ikoku College of Education Owerri /
Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Emeka Chukwuemeka who confirmed the arrests, said that investigations are on the matter and to unmask all those directly or remotely connected to the syndicate. He said the command may also hand over the girls back to their families once the y are traced and willing.
He warned randy men and boys to desist from luring under-aged girls to avoid ruining their future, and all illegal motherless babies homes and Orphanages to desist from operation or face the full wrath of the law.
He sais,”People should stop taking advantage of these innocent girls for business rather than going into Charity work they registered for …’’.
Mrs Ezuma disclosed that the teenage girls were brought to her foundation with the consent of their parents and guardians, and that they were helping the girls out purely on compassionate grounds. She said they encourage their families to allow the young girls with pregnancy to carry them to term instead of abortion. She said that the foundation’s major trust included providing love and care for the pregnant teenagers and home to the homeless.
Ezuma pointed out that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development was aware of their operation as they had earlier taken away a 15month old baby from their. The Ministry allegedly acknowledged that the baby was undergoing fostering process and that the documents about the baby and pictures of those that brought the baby are intact as it was never a business deal between the ministry and Mrs Ezuma but an official process of fostering a child.
The petition to the police had alleged that flashy vehicles and under age girls always seen around the building gave away their operations as being suspicious and therefore alerted the police to check on the activities behind the scene in the building.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Dr Mrs Ego Uzoezie with the Permanent Secretary and other staff including Director of Child Development Mr Emeka Ejide visited that home to seal it off in May.
Dr Uzoezie then alerted the Commissioner for Health Prof Amobi Ilika to place surveillance on the hospital as it is undermining public health. Her ministry too placed the alleged illegal ‘compassionate home’ under surveillance for closing down.
