A "worrying trend" is unfolding, said the BBC. Young children are possibly being taken into the UK illegally, some from Nigeria's so-called "baby factories".
Last summer British authorities identified an infant seemingly trafficked into the UK after a woman's elaborate "fake birth story" fell apart under scrutiny.
Many "baby factories" in the West African nation operate under a veil of legitimacy, "disguised as private medical clinics, orphanages, or even social welfare homes", said Human Rights Pulse back in 2021. But inside, women and girls are being held against their will, abused and forced to give birth for this "dirty, profitable business".
After the babies are born they are "forcefully taken away" either for adoption at a price, or to be trafficked to become "prostitutes or child labourers".
A "fear of poverty" means both men and women have become vulnerable, said Deutsche Welle. Bearing children is "considered significant in many African societies" and the pressure can cause "humiliation" for infertile couples. Traffickers know this, and a high demand – for male children in particular – makes the practice "especially lucrative".
Trafficking thrives due to the "ready market" for children, said Nigerian newspaper Punch. The legal adoption process can often be "prolonged, stricter and more expensive", driving couples to "resort to illicit means". There have been occasional raids and arrests, but the "slow Nigerian judicial system" is blamed for the practice continuing to fester.
Work to prevent trafficking continues abroad. The UK government has "restricted adoptions from Nigeria" since 2021 due to fears of the illegal movement of children, said the BBC. One expert said "DNA testing of newborn babies and purported parents" might help. | 
