Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08LAGOS430
2008-10-31 12:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Consulate Lagos
Cable title:  

NIGERIA: REPORTS OF "BABY FARM" DEMONSTRATE GAP IN

Tags:  PGOV PHUM KTIP NI 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO0037
RR RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #0430 3051203
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 311203Z OCT 08
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0267
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 9915
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHEBAAA/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEWMFD/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000430 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W,
STATE FOR G/TIP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KTIP NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: REPORTS OF "BABY FARM" DEMONSTRATE GAP IN
COMMUNICATION WITH NAPTIP

Classified By: CONSUL GENERAL DONNA BLAIR FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000430

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W,
STATE FOR G/TIP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2018
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KTIP NI
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: REPORTS OF "BABY FARM" DEMONSTRATE GAP IN
COMMUNICATION WITH NAPTIP

Classified By: CONSUL GENERAL DONNA BLAIR FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) AND (D).


1. (SBU) Summary: An October 8 BBC News article claimed the
discovery of a "baby farm" in Enugu, which was allegedly
holding pregnant women hostage, then selling their babies to
traffickers after birth. While an official from the National
Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and
Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) knew little about the case,
the BBC journalist who wrote the article confirmed that this
is one of several similar raids by the police on hospitals
which sell newborn babies in Enugu. The police appear to be
operating independent of NAPTIP, indicating a lack of
coordination between these two key anti-trafficking agencies.
End Summary.


2. (SBU) In response to inquiries from Washington, including
the office of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, PolOff
sought clarification on a BBC News article that reported
Nigerian police had raided a hospital keeping young pregnant
women and then selling their babies for forced labor and sex
trafficking. On October 16, PolOff spoke with the zonal head
of NAPTIP for the South East region, Ijeoma Okoronkwo, based
in Enugu. Okoronkwo stated that NAPTIP had not been
contacted by the police who conducted the raid, nor any other
state agency, and thus, had no specific information on the
baby farm., She did believe the reports to be true,
although exaggerated, as it is unlikely the babies were to be
used for sex trafficking, but rather for adoptions or
domestic labor.


3. (C) The BBC journalist who wrote the article, Abdussalam
Ahmed, is also based in Enugu. In an October 17 conversation
with PolOff, he indicated that soon after the raid, the
Police Commissioner had invited him for a briefing at the
Enugu state headquarters of the Nigerian Police to interview
the police officers involved in the raid. He was not given
access to the hospital that had been raided, but the police
openly answered all of his questions regarding the case. Mr.
Ahmed believed that the babies were to be sold for adoption
or to be raised for domestic labor. He indicated that there
are general rumors in the region that such babies are often
used for spiritual rituals or sex trafficking, although there
is no solid evidence to support these suspicions. In his
investigation of the incident, the nurses and owners of the
hospital had claimed in that they were helping the young
pregnant mothers and rescuing babies that would otherwise be
abandoned.


4. (SBU) Ahmed indicated that he had been alerted to similar
cases in June when another clinic in Enugu was raided, in
which police rescued twenty pregnant women. This case did
make international news, and NAPTIP was actively involved in
the case. In the current case, however, despite Nigerian
news reports that NAPTIP was to take over care for the seven
women rescued from the hospital, Okoronkwo stated that NAPTIP
was unaware of the women,s location or the events after the
raid.


5. (C) Comment: As of October 16, over one week after the
raid, NAPTIP officials had not been contacted regarding
specifics of the case or location of the rescued women. This
disconnect between law enforcement and NAPTIP may be
intentional, given that the police immediately contacted an
international media outlet to raise awareness of their own
efforts. The police did not acknowledge NAPTIP,s role at
the time of the raid or during the subsequent investigation.
The lack of communication between law enforcement and the
agency indicates that there continues to be a gap in
anti-trafficking efforts between state police and NAPTIP.
End Comment.


6. (U) This cable has been cleared by Embassy Abuja.
BLAIR