Many women at baby factories are kidnapped, serially raped and made to give birth to children at the facilities.
Nigerian police raided what it called a 'baby factory' at the weekend in the country's southeastern Enugu state, rescuing at least nine teenage pregnant girls and arresting the alleged mastermind, a police spokesman has said.
"Following tip offs and our own investigations, operatives of the Nigerian police have arrested one Mr Ikechukwu Onoh for operating a baby factory," police spokesman Ebere Amaraizu told Anadolu Agency by phone.
"Nine pregnant teenage girls were rescued in the operation and they are now in our custody," he added.
He said the baby factory was being run at the private residence of the suspect, who claims to be a medical doctor.
"We will be charging him in court after the state criminal and intelligence departments finish their investigations into the criminal activities," the police spokesman said.
Speaking with reporters Saturday evening, the suspect claimed he had a license to operate a maternity hospital but failed to show any certificate to that effect.
Happiness Mbaonu, a pregnant 17-year-old, was among those rescued.
She told an Anadolu Agency reporter that many of the women were carrying unwanted pregnancies with an agreement to give their babies to the suspect once delivered at the facility.
"Mr Onoh agreed to take care of our pregnancies, including feeding us, on the condition that he will take our children once delivered. I am a victim of rape and I do not even want the baby," Mbaonu said.
Police have said babies delivered at such facilities are often victims of rituals or human trafficking.
The baby factory phenomenon has become a worrying feature in many parts of southern Nigeria, with underage girls often forced to give birth to babies for sale.
While some women allegedly enter the illegal enterprise willingly for commercial purposes, many others are kidnapped, serially raped and made to give birth to children at the facilities.