The General Overseer of Grate Mercy Deliverance Ministry, Pastor Maureen Martins, 45, has been arrested for drugging pregnant teenage girls, inducing them into labour and then selling their babies. Martins, a mother of two, who is also a trained nurse, was arrested at her church, located at 3, Giwa Street, Rumuolumili area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The church is allegedly being used as a cover to run the trafficking operation. The victims are helpless pregnant teenagers, rejected by family members and lovers for being pregnant member of the syndicate, IB, goes to these girls as a wolf in sheep’s clothing. The girls are sourced from different parts of the South East. IB promises them accommodation, feeding and maternity care. They are also promised of being reunited with their families after the birth of their babies.
However, after delivery, their babies are seized and sold to waiting buyers. The girls would later be told their babies died. The Police noted that the church has seven rooms, where the girls are housed. It was part of Maureen’s job to drug the girls during delivery, so that the memories of the birth of their babies would be fuzzy.
When they wake up, she tells them their babies died. It was gathered that even before the girls wake up from their drugged sleep, the buyers would have left with the babies. Some of the babies were sold with their placentas still intact. Martins and her husband would later give the girls N30,000 as transport fare back to their homes.
Maureen has however denied being the brain behind the baby trafficking business. According to her, the elusive IB, is the owner of the business. Maureen was arrested along with her husband, Chidi Martins.
She said: “It’s was IB that introduced this business to me. She’s also the one that brings the pregnant girls and sells the babies. I don’t know where she used to get the girls from, but my job is just to look after them until delivery. I used to deliver them with IB, who then takes the babies to the buyers. Another part of my job is to tell the girls that their babies died. They are then given some money to return to their homes
Eagleonline
