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The Irish Sun
29-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
Inside brutal ‘baby farms' where kidnapped girls as young as 13 are raped until pregnant & tots sold to desperate Brits
CAGED inside filthy, cramped buildings in Nigeria, pregnant teenagers cradle their swollen stomachs, knowing their babies will be ripped from their arms the moment they're born. The girls - watched closely by Advertisement 20 Police officers rescued 23 pregnant girls and four infants from a baby factory Credit: Al Jazeera 20 Inside the hospital room the mothers gave birth in Credit: Al Jazeera 20 In 2018, the Moonlight Maternity Clinic was raided by paramilitary operatives for allegedly engaging in baby trafficking Credit: Getty Their journey to motherhood is nothing short of horrific - with some girls fed just one meal a day, given poor medical care, and sexually abused by their captors while heavily pregnant. And their trauma will only intensify once their babies are born, as the defenceless infants are flogged to desperate infertile couples - allegedly including Brits - and child trafficking rings. Advertisement Newborns from Just this month, a family court in Leeds heard the case of a 'very young' baby who was brought in from Nigeria by a woman who was not their biological mother, and has now been put up for adoption. The case follows that of another baby But, while they may never know their real mothers, they are perhaps among the lucky ones. Those babies not purchased by international or domestic couples, who claim them as their own, are used as child labour. Others are trafficked to Western nations as sex slaves. Advertisement And for a few, their fate is even worse - with reports of infants being sacrificed in Experts tell The Sun that Nigeria's baby trafficking trade is 'lucrative', with an estimated 10 children sold each day - while their violated young mothers are left with empty arms. 'Infants are sold into black-market adoptions, domestic servitude, or trafficked into countries like the UK,' says Jared Navarre, Chairman of the Board of Project AK-47, a strategic humanitarian initiative that fights to free children enslaved and exploited globally. Inside romance scam target lonely singles on dating apps but what they don't know is if we die 'Some are moved on forged documents. 'Others are smuggled in under the radar and are never registered, and never found.' Advertisement He adds: 'These 20 A 19-year-old who had been lured into the home was forced to sell her baby Credit: Al Jazeera 20 Police rescue 10 pregnant mothers from a baby factory in Ogun Credit: Tv24 News 20 Cops raided the 'farm' and arrested its female owner Credit: youtube/Tv24 News As for the fate of the babies' mothers - some, who didn't die in childbirth the first time, are impregnated, again and again, with their newborns callously torn from them each time. Advertisement When their depraved captors consider them no longer useful, the 'luckier' girls are freed - reportedly, with blindfolds on, so they can't locate the factories they were held at. Infants are sold into black-market adoptions, domestic servitude, or trafficked into countries like the UK Jared Navarre, Chairman of the Board of Project AK-47 Those less fortunate are never seen again. 'They're raped systematically and impregnated as part of the business model,' says Jared. 'They're not patients. They're inventory.' 20 Women being taken to hospital after being freed by police from a baby farm in Lagos Credit: Reuters Advertisement 20 A ward abandoned at Nigeria's Moonlight Maternity Clinic, raided by paramilitary operatives for allegedly engaging in baby trafficking business Credit: AFP 20 Jared Navarre is the Chairman of the Board of Project AK-47 Last week, it was reported that a woman living in West Yorkshire had flown to Nigeria before returning to Gatwick Airport with a 'very young' baby girl that she hadn't birthed. The woman, who was arrested, claimed she was the The Leeds court heard that the baby had suffered "significant emotional and psychological harm" after her 'parents' lied and handed the authorities fake documents. Advertisement A judge ordered that the girl - who, tragically, may never know the identities of her real parents - be placed for adoption. Police said there was no active investigation at present. They're raped systematically and impregnated as part of the business model Jared Navarre, Chairman of the Board of Project AK-47, A specialist social worker, who visited the medical centre where the mother alleged she had given birth, told the court the practice of "baby farming" is well known in West Africa. At least 200 illegal "baby factories" have been shut down by the Nigerian authorities in the last five years, she said. Promised 'easy money' 20 women were lured by promises of work before being kidnapped and hauled to baby farms Credit: Reuters 20 The slave-masters get rich by selling babies Credit: Reuters Advertisement But such concerns aren't entirely new: in 2012, a High Court judge raised fears about 'desperate childless parents' becoming involved in baby-selling scams in Africa. Disguised as maternity clinics and orphanages, 'baby factories' plague south-eastern Nigeria - which has the dark reputation of being a major African country in human trafficking. Fuelled by poverty, heavy social pressure on women to bear children, and a stigma around teen pregnancy, these heinous sites have been described as 'puppy mills for people'. They have even inspired the recent Netflix series, Baby Farm. The girls at these 'factories' - some, just 14 - have either been recruited while pregnant with false promises of 'easy money', or have been kidnapped, raped and impregnated. Advertisement 'Some come in already pregnant. Most don't,' says Jared. Forced to sell their babies 20 Pregnant women are crammed into tiny buildings Credit: Al Jazeera 20 Women give birth bare hospital rooms Credit: Al Jazeera One survivor - who was already pregnant - told But when she got there, the girl said the woman demanded to buy her unborn baby. Advertisement I was really afraid and I was scared A 19-year-old survivor told Al Jazeera 'I was really afraid and I was scared,' said the 19-year-old, who was held captive. She added that some imprisoned teens tried to kill themselves, while others staged escape attempts. 'I was among the ones who tried to escape, but there was no way,' she said. Human trafficking expert Joanna Ewart-James says some pregnant girls are 'coerced' into going to 'factories' through poverty, 'seeing no financial option other than to sell their baby'. 'Many young women are afraid to tell their families they are pregnant,' Joanna, co-founder of the US-based non-profit organisation, 'And without access to abortion and antenatal care, some are drawn to baby-sellers who keep them hidden - and captive - until the baby is born.' Advertisement She adds of the infants involved: "The commodification - the buying and selling - of children and newborn babies is horrific because of their inability to defend themselves.' Abortion is illegal in Nigeria - where up to one million people each year are thought to be trafficked. Pregnancies can only be terminated to save the life of the mother. Another survivor, then 16, wasn't pregnant when a woman, known as 'Aunty Kiki', lured her from an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp to the Nigerian state of Enugu. It doesn't matter whether you are six weeks or six months pregnant. If any of the men wants you, you can't say no A survivor told Al Jazeera Promised a job as a housemaid, with a monthly salary, the teen was transported to a compound guarded by gunmen, where a man allegedly ordered her to strip then raped her. 'The compound had two flats of three bedrooms each filled with young girls, some of them pregnant,' the teen - who would go on to suffer daily abuse - told Al Jazeera. Advertisement Within weeks of being caged at the compound, the girl was pregnant. Yet she was still raped. 'It doesn't matter whether you are six weeks or six months pregnant,' said another girl who was impregnated at the compound. 'If any of the men wants you, you can't say no.' The two girls from the compound both delivered baby boys, who were snatched from them. The infants were sold to unknown customers, for unknown sums - though they likely drew a heftier price because they were male. Traditionally, in Nigeria, boys inherit land. Advertisement 'Cryptic pregnancy doctors' 20 A hospital bed in a cryptic pregnancy clinic in Nigeria Credit: BBC 20 Women outside the cryptic pregnancy clinic Credit: BBC 20 A bed in a cryptic pregnancy Credit: BBC Lori Cohen, CEO of children's rights organisation Protect All Children from Trafficking So-called 'cryptic pregnancy doctors' in Nigeria prey on this pressure to conceive. Their cruel scams - which 'guarantee' couples a pregnancy - operate alongside 'baby factories'. Advertisement In such scams, Nigerian couples longing to be parents fork out hundreds of pounds on 'miracle' fertility treatment - including injections that reportedly cause the woman's stomach to bloat. The 'doctors' administering the treatment promise the woman that she is pregnant - news she has, often, waited years to hear - despite medical scans and tests proving otherwise. As the 'birth' nears, the couple is told they must pay for an expensive drug to induce labour. But this is not always available imminently - because the 'drug' is, in fact, a trafficked baby. While waiting for this 'drug', women have reported being up to 15 months 'pregnant'. Advertisement Ify Obinabo, Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Welfare, told a BBC Africa Eye Anybody that tells you [that] you will have a child through cryptic pregnancy is a liar… you are going to be given another person's child, a trafficked child. Ify Obinabo, Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Welfare 'Anybody that tells you [that] you will have a child through cryptic pregnancy is a liar… you are going to be given another person's child, a trafficked child.' One Nigerian-trained diagnostic sonographer, who dubs herself 'The Celebrity Sonographer', recently told of how a woman ended up with 'three cryptic babies'. Taking to Facebook, the sonographer, based in London, explained that the devastated woman had been convinced that she'd carried and given birth to her children. However, DNA tests had refuted this. Advertisement For each birth, the woman had reportedly been called up by a hospital in Nigeria - which has reportedly since closed down - and told it was 'time for her to deliver'. 'She was not allowed to come with anyone,' wrote the sonographer. 'Once she arrives, they will make her sleep and when she wakes up, her baby will be by her side and that was how she gave birth to the three.' She added: 'It dawned on me that they had probably made her sleep to give her other people's children.' Some experts claim that 'local corruption' in Nigeria helps 'baby factories' to thrive. Advertisement 'They operate because they're profitable, protected, and low-risk for the people running them,' says Jared. 'Local corruption shields them. International demand fuels them.' There's no meaningful consequence for either Jared He adds: 'There's no meaningful consequence for either.' Nigerian cops have previously cracked down on such 'factories' through raids and arrests, with 22 pregnant women, aged between 20 and 25, rescued from one site in 2023. In 2021, four pregnant girls were saved from a 'factory' in Anambra, while, in 2019, police in the nation's biggest city, Lagos, freed 19 women and girls as well as four babies. Most of the survivors in Lagos - brought there from the states of Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Imo - had been kidnapped and impregnated by their captors. Advertisement 'The young women were mostly abducted by the suspects for the purpose of getting them pregnant and selling the babies to potential buyers,' Lagos police spokesman Bala Elkana told Reuters at the time, adding that the victims had been 'tricked' with employment offers. 'Orphanage trafficking' 20 Nigerian couples longing to be parents fork out hundreds of pounds on 'miracle' fertility treatment Credit: Reuters 20 A nurse with one of the babies in a legitimate Nigerian hospital Credit: Getty A year earlier, more than 160 children had been rescued from a 'baby factory' and two unregistered orphanages in the same city, which is known for its beach resorts and nightlife. Horrifically, some of the infants had been sexually abused, an official told the BBC in 2018. Advertisement They were later placed in government-approved homes. According to Joanna, so-called 'orphanage trafficking' is ongoing in parts of Africa, with British volunteers becoming unknowing participants in such exploitation. 'Used to attract donations from abroad, poor parents in countries like Uganda or Cambodia are convinced that their child will be given an education,' she tells us. 'Instead, they are placed in an orphanage to attract money from well-meaning volunteers travelling in their gap year.' Meanwhile, in southern Nigeria, some women drug and 'rent' their young children out to street beggars, according to a 2018 trafficking report by the U.S. Department of State. Advertisement They do this to increase the beggar's profits, with passersby feeling pity for the child. But, in at least one case, an infant died from a drug overdose. Even for the children who survive trafficking, the consequences are 'irreversible'. Referring to the infants sold by 'baby factory beasts', Irina Tsukerman, a New York-based human rights and national security lawyer, tells us: 'They are deprived of their identities, disconnected from their biological families, and placed into lives constructed on deception. 'Their legal status may remain ambiguous. Advertisement 'Their access to education, healthcare, and social protection may be compromised. 'The psychological harm of being trafficked as a commodity is compounded by the systemic erasure of their origins.' She adds: 'For the mothers who survive these 'factories', the loss is equally profound. They [mothers] are left to contend with the trauma of forced pregnancy, the disappearance of their child, and the social isolation that often follows Irina Tsukerman 'They are left to contend with the trauma of forced pregnancy, the disappearance of their child, and the social isolation that often follows.' While Nigerian police continue to raid 'factories' - with suspects facing a reported 10 years behind bars - the UK government has restricted adoptions from Nigeria in recent years. Advertisement Border Force officers are trained to identify and safeguard children who could be in danger. But experts insist more action must be taken against the buyers, and sellers, of 'factory' babies. 'As with other forms of human trafficking, forced harvesting of children only exists because of the underlying demand that makes this crime so profitable,' says Lori. 'Eliminating the demand for stolen babies by holding buyers accountable, in addition to these vile child brokers, is the surest way to shutter the doors of these criminal networks.' 20 Lori Cohen told The Sun rigid 'gender roles continue to shape the cultural norms' Advertisement 20 Joanna Ewart-James is the Co-Founder of Freedom United, a nonprofit that fights human trafficking
Scottish Sun
29-07-2025
- Scottish Sun
Inside brutal ‘baby farms' where kidnapped girls as young as 13 are raped until pregnant & tots sold to desperate Brits
Corrupt doctors are working with twisted traffickers to sell on newborns BABY BREEDERS Inside brutal 'baby farms' where kidnapped girls as young as 13 are raped until pregnant & tots sold to desperate Brits Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) CAGED inside filthy, cramped buildings in Nigeria, pregnant teenagers cradle their swollen stomachs, knowing their babies will be ripped from their arms the moment they're born. The girls - watched closely by gunmen to ensure they don't escape - were kidnapped off the streets then brought to these hellholes to be repeatedly raped until they fell pregnant. 20 Police officers rescued 23 pregnant girls and four infants from a baby factory Credit: Al Jazeera 20 Inside the hospital room the mothers gave birth in Credit: Al Jazeera 20 In 2018, the Moonlight Maternity Clinic was raided by paramilitary operatives for allegedly engaging in baby trafficking Credit: Getty Their journey to motherhood is nothing short of horrific - with some girls fed just one meal a day, given poor medical care, and sexually abused by their captors while heavily pregnant. And their trauma will only intensify once their babies are born, as the defenceless infants are flogged to desperate infertile couples - allegedly including Brits - and child trafficking rings. Newborns from Nigerian 'baby factories' are reportedly being sold for as little as £60 - and as much as £2,000 - on the black market, with in-demand boys attracting a 'premium' price. Just this month, a family court in Leeds heard the case of a 'very young' baby who was brought in from Nigeria by a woman who was not their biological mother, and has now been put up for adoption. The case follows that of another baby brought unlawfully from Nigeria, who was taken in by social services in Manchester, amid fears that children from 'baby factories' are being trafficked to Britain. But, while they may never know their real mothers, they are perhaps among the lucky ones. Those babies not purchased by international or domestic couples, who claim them as their own, are used as child labour. Others are trafficked to Western nations as sex slaves. And for a few, their fate is even worse - with reports of infants being sacrificed in sick rituals. Experts tell The Sun that Nigeria's baby trafficking trade is 'lucrative', with an estimated 10 children sold each day - while their violated young mothers are left with empty arms. 'Infants are sold into black-market adoptions, domestic servitude, or trafficked into countries like the UK,' says Jared Navarre, Chairman of the Board of Project AK-47, a strategic humanitarian initiative that fights to free children enslaved and exploited globally. Inside romance scam target lonely singles on dating apps but what they don't know is if we die 'Some are moved on forged documents. 'Others are smuggled in under the radar and are never registered, and never found.' He adds: 'These factories exist because there's a market for human lives.' 20 A 19-year-old who had been lured into the home was forced to sell her baby Credit: Al Jazeera 20 Police rescue 10 pregnant mothers from a baby factory in Ogun Credit: Tv24 News 20 Cops raided the 'farm' and arrested its female owner Credit: youtube/Tv24 News As for the fate of the babies' mothers - some, who didn't die in childbirth the first time, are impregnated, again and again, with their newborns callously torn from them each time. When their depraved captors consider them no longer useful, the 'luckier' girls are freed - reportedly, with blindfolds on, so they can't locate the factories they were held at. Infants are sold into black-market adoptions, domestic servitude, or trafficked into countries like the UK Jared Navarre, Chairman of the Board of Project AK-47 Those less fortunate are never seen again. 'They're raped systematically and impregnated as part of the business model,' says Jared. 'They're not patients. They're inventory.' 20 Women being taken to hospital after being freed by police from a baby farm in Lagos Credit: Reuters 20 A ward abandoned at Nigeria's Moonlight Maternity Clinic, raided by paramilitary operatives for allegedly engaging in baby trafficking business Credit: AFP 20 Jared Navarre is the Chairman of the Board of Project AK-47 Last week, it was reported that a woman living in West Yorkshire had flown to Nigeria before returning to Gatwick Airport with a 'very young' baby girl that she hadn't birthed. The woman, who was arrested, claimed she was the baby's biological mother, according to the BBC. However, tests showed 'no genetic link' to either the woman or her husband. The Leeds court heard that the baby had suffered "significant emotional and psychological harm" after her 'parents' lied and handed the authorities fake documents. A judge ordered that the girl - who, tragically, may never know the identities of her real parents - be placed for adoption. Police said there was no active investigation at present. They're raped systematically and impregnated as part of the business model Jared Navarre, Chairman of the Board of Project AK-47, A specialist social worker, who visited the medical centre where the mother alleged she had given birth, told the court the practice of "baby farming" is well known in West Africa. At least 200 illegal "baby factories" have been shut down by the Nigerian authorities in the last five years, she said. Promised 'easy money' 20 women were lured by promises of work before being kidnapped and hauled to baby farms Credit: Reuters 20 The slave-masters get rich by selling babies Credit: Reuters But such concerns aren't entirely new: in 2012, a High Court judge raised fears about 'desperate childless parents' becoming involved in baby-selling scams in Africa. Disguised as maternity clinics and orphanages, 'baby factories' plague south-eastern Nigeria - which has the dark reputation of being a major African country in human trafficking. Fuelled by poverty, heavy social pressure on women to bear children, and a stigma around teen pregnancy, these heinous sites have been described as 'puppy mills for people'. They have even inspired the recent Netflix series, Baby Farm. The girls at these 'factories' - some, just 14 - have either been recruited while pregnant with false promises of 'easy money', or have been kidnapped, raped and impregnated. 'Some come in already pregnant. Most don't,' says Jared. Forced to sell their babies 20 Pregnant women are crammed into tiny buildings Credit: Al Jazeera 20 Women give birth bare hospital rooms Credit: Al Jazeera One survivor - who was already pregnant - told Al Jazeera that she was lured to a 'baby factory' by a woman who claimed she owned a home for young expectant mothers. But when she got there, the girl said the woman demanded to buy her unborn baby. I was really afraid and I was scared A 19-year-old survivor told Al Jazeera 'I was really afraid and I was scared,' said the 19-year-old, who was held captive. She added that some imprisoned teens tried to kill themselves, while others staged escape attempts. 'I was among the ones who tried to escape, but there was no way,' she said. Human trafficking expert Joanna Ewart-James says some pregnant girls are 'coerced' into going to 'factories' through poverty, 'seeing no financial option other than to sell their baby'. 'Many young women are afraid to tell their families they are pregnant,' Joanna, co-founder of the US-based non-profit organisation, Freedom United, tells us. 'And without access to abortion and antenatal care, some are drawn to baby-sellers who keep them hidden - and captive - until the baby is born.' She adds of the infants involved: "The commodification - the buying and selling - of children and newborn babies is horrific because of their inability to defend themselves.' Abortion is illegal in Nigeria - where up to one million people each year are thought to be trafficked. Pregnancies can only be terminated to save the life of the mother. Another survivor, then 16, wasn't pregnant when a woman, known as 'Aunty Kiki', lured her from an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp to the Nigerian state of Enugu. It doesn't matter whether you are six weeks or six months pregnant. If any of the men wants you, you can't say no A survivor told Al Jazeera Promised a job as a housemaid, with a monthly salary, the teen was transported to a compound guarded by gunmen, where a man allegedly ordered her to strip then raped her. 'The compound had two flats of three bedrooms each filled with young girls, some of them pregnant,' the teen - who would go on to suffer daily abuse - told Al Jazeera. Within weeks of being caged at the compound, the girl was pregnant. Yet she was still raped. 'It doesn't matter whether you are six weeks or six months pregnant,' said another girl who was impregnated at the compound. 'If any of the men wants you, you can't say no.' The two girls from the compound both delivered baby boys, who were snatched from them. The infants were sold to unknown customers, for unknown sums - though they likely drew a heftier price because they were male. Traditionally, in Nigeria, boys inherit land. 'Cryptic pregnancy doctors' 20 A hospital bed in a cryptic pregnancy clinic in Nigeria Credit: BBC 20 Women outside the cryptic pregnancy clinic Credit: BBC 20 A bed in a cryptic pregnancy Credit: BBC Lori Cohen, CEO of children's rights organisation Protect All Children from Trafficking (PACT), says that, in patriarchal societies like Nigeria, 'rigid gender roles continue to shape the cultural norms by placing a premium on fertility, and particularly boy babies'. So-called 'cryptic pregnancy doctors' in Nigeria prey on this pressure to conceive. Their cruel scams - which 'guarantee' couples a pregnancy - operate alongside 'baby factories'. In such scams, Nigerian couples longing to be parents fork out hundreds of pounds on 'miracle' fertility treatment - including injections that reportedly cause the woman's stomach to bloat. The 'doctors' administering the treatment promise the woman that she is pregnant - news she has, often, waited years to hear - despite medical scans and tests proving otherwise. As the 'birth' nears, the couple is told they must pay for an expensive drug to induce labour. But this is not always available imminently - because the 'drug' is, in fact, a trafficked baby. While waiting for this 'drug', women have reported being up to 15 months 'pregnant'. Ify Obinabo, Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Welfare, told a BBC Africa Eye documentary: 'Cryptic pregnancy cannot exist without child trafficking. Anybody that tells you [that] you will have a child through cryptic pregnancy is a liar… you are going to be given another person's child, a trafficked child. Ify Obinabo, Anambra State Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Welfare 'Anybody that tells you [that] you will have a child through cryptic pregnancy is a liar… you are going to be given another person's child, a trafficked child.' One Nigerian-trained diagnostic sonographer, who dubs herself 'The Celebrity Sonographer', recently told of how a woman ended up with 'three cryptic babies'. Taking to Facebook, the sonographer, based in London, explained that the devastated woman had been convinced that she'd carried and given birth to her children. However, DNA tests had refuted this. For each birth, the woman had reportedly been called up by a hospital in Nigeria - which has reportedly since closed down - and told it was 'time for her to deliver'. 'She was not allowed to come with anyone,' wrote the sonographer. 'Once she arrives, they will make her sleep and when she wakes up, her baby will be by her side and that was how she gave birth to the three.' She added: 'It dawned on me that they had probably made her sleep to give her other people's children.' Some experts claim that 'local corruption' in Nigeria helps 'baby factories' to thrive. 'They operate because they're profitable, protected, and low-risk for the people running them,' says Jared. 'Local corruption shields them. International demand fuels them.' There's no meaningful consequence for either Jared He adds: 'There's no meaningful consequence for either.' Nigerian cops have previously cracked down on such 'factories' through raids and arrests, with 22 pregnant women, aged between 20 and 25, rescued from one site in 2023. In 2021, four pregnant girls were saved from a 'factory' in Anambra, while, in 2019, police in the nation's biggest city, Lagos, freed 19 women and girls as well as four babies. Most of the survivors in Lagos - brought there from the states of Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Abia and Imo - had been kidnapped and impregnated by their captors. 'The young women were mostly abducted by the suspects for the purpose of getting them pregnant and selling the babies to potential buyers,' Lagos police spokesman Bala Elkana told Reuters at the time, adding that the victims had been 'tricked' with employment offers. 'Orphanage trafficking' 20 Nigerian couples longing to be parents fork out hundreds of pounds on 'miracle' fertility treatment Credit: Reuters 20 A nurse with one of the babies in a legitimate Nigerian hospital Credit: Getty A year earlier, more than 160 children had been rescued from a 'baby factory' and two unregistered orphanages in the same city, which is known for its beach resorts and nightlife. Horrifically, some of the infants had been sexually abused, an official told the BBC in 2018. They were later placed in government-approved homes. According to Joanna, so-called 'orphanage trafficking' is ongoing in parts of Africa, with British volunteers becoming unknowing participants in such exploitation. 'Used to attract donations from abroad, poor parents in countries like Uganda or Cambodia are convinced that their child will be given an education,' she tells us. 'Instead, they are placed in an orphanage to attract money from well-meaning volunteers travelling in their gap year.' Meanwhile, in southern Nigeria, some women drug and 'rent' their young children out to street beggars, according to a 2018 trafficking report by the U.S. Department of State. They do this to increase the beggar's profits, with passersby feeling pity for the child. But, in at least one case, an infant died from a drug overdose. Even for the children who survive trafficking, the consequences are 'irreversible'. Referring to the infants sold by 'baby factory beasts', Irina Tsukerman, a New York-based human rights and national security lawyer, tells us: 'They are deprived of their identities, disconnected from their biological families, and placed into lives constructed on deception. 'Their legal status may remain ambiguous. 'Their access to education, healthcare, and social protection may be compromised. 'The psychological harm of being trafficked as a commodity is compounded by the systemic erasure of their origins.' She adds: 'For the mothers who survive these 'factories', the loss is equally profound. They [mothers] are left to contend with the trauma of forced pregnancy, the disappearance of their child, and the social isolation that often follows Irina Tsukerman 'They are left to contend with the trauma of forced pregnancy, the disappearance of their child, and the social isolation that often follows.' While Nigerian police continue to raid 'factories' - with suspects facing a reported 10 years behind bars - the UK government has restricted adoptions from Nigeria in recent years. Border Force officers are trained to identify and safeguard children who could be in danger. But experts insist more action must be taken against the buyers, and sellers, of 'factory' babies. 'As with other forms of human trafficking, forced harvesting of children only exists because of the underlying demand that makes this crime so profitable,' says Lori. 'Eliminating the demand for stolen babies by holding buyers accountable, in addition to these vile child brokers, is the surest way to shutter the doors of these criminal networks.' 20 Lori Cohen told The Sun rigid 'gender roles continue to shape the cultural norms'
Globe and Mail
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
Jared Navarre Unleashes 'I Am the One,' a Defiant Anthem from the ZILLION Universe
Single drops July 25 on all major platforms NASHVILLE, TN - July 23, 2025 - Jared Navarre, founder of the immersive music project ZILLION, is set to release his latest single, ' I Am the One,' on July 25 across Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other major streaming platforms. Written and recorded at ZILLION's Nashville headquarters, the track is a bold declaration of power, identity, and redemption. Navarre co-produced the song alongside Matt Good, with additional writing by Andy Sheridan, a multi-instrumentalist behind several number one country hits. 'This isn't just a song. It's the sound of a crown hitting the floor and me picking it up,' says Navarre. 'If you've ever been underestimated, this one's for you.' ' I Am the One ' plays a central role in ZILLION's broader storyline, marking the emergence of 'The One,' a key character in the group's mythology. The sound is aggressive and cinematic, designed to make listeners feel invincible. According to Navarre, the final chorus delivers the most powerful moment, with layered vocals and a drop that feels seismic. A stylized visualizer will accompany the single, showcasing animated elements from the ZILLION narrative world. The release also includes a new line of limited-edition merchandise that reflects the group's gritty, mythic branding. The track stands on its own as an anthem for personal reclamation, while also deepening ZILLION's evolving creative universe. Pre-save 'I Am the One' now at For press inquiries, interviews, or early access to the single, contact Gregory Linnelli ( Media Contact Company Name: Otter PR Contact Person: Gregory Linnelli Email: Send Email Phone: 4128604794 Address: 100 E Pine St Suite 110 City: Orlando State: Florida Country: United States Website:
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
I'm a Financial Expert: 4 Hidden Advantages of Personal Loans
Personal loans don't have the best reputation, lumped in with predatory lending and debt traps. But they're not always a bad idea. In fact, financial experts say there are several hidden advantages that make personal loans a smart financial tool. The key? As with most things, you've got to use them correctly. Learn More: Read Next: GOBankingRates spoke with financial industry professionals to uncover the benefits most people don't know about when it comes to personal loans from traditional lenders. One of the biggest advantages of personal loans is that they're unsecured, according to Jared Navarre, CEO of and a serial entrepreneur who's worked with major companies like Reebok, Adobe and Capital One. 'The magic of an 'unsecured' loan means you don't have to risk losing your house, car or your signed headshot from the local weatherman,' Navarre explained. This is a huge benefit compared to secured loans like mortgages or auto loans, where the lender can repossess your property if you default. With personal loans, your assets remain safe even if you run into financial trouble. Be Aware: Personal loans shine as a safer option compared to predatory lending products that trap borrowers in cycles of debt. 'Personal loans typically have better terms and are a safer option than payday loans,' Navarre said. 'Aka, save your kneecaps.' While payday loans can carry interest rates of 400% or higher, personal loans from reputable lenders typically offer much more reasonable rates and longer repayment terms. When emergencies strike, personal loans can provide remarkably quick relief. Many lenders have streamlined their approval processes to get money into borrowers' hands quickly. 'Some personal loans can fund as quickly as 24 hours,' Navarre shared. 'Perfect for the inevitable emergency life may throw your way.' This speed advantage makes personal loans particularly valuable for urgent expenses like medical bills, car repairs or home emergencies that can't wait for traditional loan processing times. Here's where personal loans offer a hidden advantage that many borrowers overlook: They can actually help improve your credit score through diversification. 'Though the exact algorithm the credit bureaus rely on is buried 10,000 miles below Space X, a personal loan can be good to add to your overall credit picture and has a potential to boost your overall score,' Navarre said. The credit scoring algorithms favor having a mix of different types of credit. Think credit cards, mortgages, auto loans and personal loans. Adding a personal loan to your credit mix can demonstrate that you can handle different types of debt responsibly. 'I wouldn't advise using this as logic to get one, but the algorithm does favor diversity,' Navarre added. While traditional lender personal loans offer institutional benefits, some people turn to friends and family for financial help. This approach comes with its own set of advantages and considerations. Dutch Mendenhall, a bestselling author and founder of Omnico Golf, has experience with person-to-person lending and offered insights into this alternative approach. 'The advantage is, you can loan something to someone that you care about, and that you have a relationship with, and you can make a return,' Mendenhall explained, recalling his experience helping a friend buy a car 10-15 years ago. However, Mendenhall also talked about the importance of going into these arrangements with realistic expectations. 'You have to understand that if you're going to give a personal loan, there's a good chance that you may never get the money back,' he warned. 'And you have to determine whether that amount of money is worth ruining a relationship with the person you gave it to.' Mendenhall recommended evaluating several factors before lending to friends or family: Financial capability: 'I think you have to know what a person's personal finances are — are they living within their means? So, if you loan it to them, it would make sense that they can pay you back.' Life changes: 'The world changes; the world shifts. Things I thought I could do 10 years ago, I can't do now and things I thought I couldn't do 10 years ago, maybe I can do now,' Mendenhall said, highlighting how circumstances can change unexpectedly. Collateral options: 'What kind of collateral is there? What kind of way can you make sure that you're gonna get paid back or at least some portion or version of it no matter what?' More From GOBankingRates 9 Downsizing Tips for the Middle Class To Save on Monthly Expenses This article originally appeared on I'm a Financial Expert: 4 Hidden Advantages of Personal Loans Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Time Business News
10-06-2025
- Automotive
- Time Business News
What Today's Leaders Can Learn From Building Brands That Connect With Both Niche and Mass Audiences
A decade ago, choosing to focus on mass or niche markets was one of the key decisions a company would make. It was an 'either/or' choice that would propel a company in a definite direction. But when the era of big data began to dawn, the business landscape changed rapidly. Companies suddenly had the tools to play in both arenas. And as they crunched the numbers, they realized that becoming a 'both/and' company — mass and niche — gave them a greater capacity for growth. 'In today's attention-deficient, culture-whiplash marketplace, you can't just be one thing to one group — at least not if you want to scale,' warns Jared Navarre, founder of Keyni Consulting. 'You've got to be specific enough to mean something, and broad enough to matter.' Jared Navarre is a multidisciplinary founder and creative strategist with a proven track record in launching, scaling, and exiting ventures across IT, logistics, entertainment, and service industries. He has consulted over 250 businesses, specializing in building operational systems, designing resilient technology infrastructure, and developing multi-platform brand ecosystems that resonate with niche and mainstream audiences alike. 'If you're content being niche and boutique, great — build a tight cult and stay weird,' Navarre says, 'but if you're trying to play on a bigger stage, this dual-audience approach becomes essential. Brands that master this duality don't just survive — they take the field swinging, while everyone else is still defending their TAM slide.' Options for building brands that do both In many cases, brands keep both mass and niche market shoppers satisfied by strategically segmenting their product lines. For example, Ford does this by providing the F-150 for the masses while producing the Raptor for those who want to draw a crowd on YouTube. Porsche has a similar approach, with the Cayenne keeping the lights on while the 911 keeps the brand holy. 'A diverse product line, which includes both mass and niche options, democratizes entry while providing an aspirational ceiling,' Navarre explains. 'Nike balances shopping mall shelf ubiquity with niche cultural obsession. Apple sells to the masses but still whispers sweet nothings to filmmakers, musicians, and developers.' Companies also achieve the diversity needed to connect with mass and niche markets by building a cadre of brands aimed at different targets. Toyota, which provides reliability and accessibility to the mass market, uses Lexus to connect with smaller markets seeking a refined and luxurious option. 'VW Group has Volkswagen to get you there, Audi to get you there in style, and Lamborghini to get you there screaming,' Navarre says. The importance of bringing all stories under one narrative The key to succeeding with a 'both/and' strategy is understanding that segmenting does not mean separating. While a company's mass and niche offerings need to connect with unique customer sensibilities, they must still be seen as a part of the same brand narrative. 'Clear brand architecture, in which each tier has purpose, boundaries, and distinct positioning, is critical,' Navarre shares. 'Confusion kills trust, which can cause a brand to lose in all markets. Without discipline and clarity, a brand can be diluted into oblivion.' However, Navarre also says companies must find a way to build their strategy around a single strand of brand DNA. Segment-specific storytelling should make sense within the larger brand narrative. 'The essence should be consistent, even if the price tags aren't,' he advises. 'Your messaging needs to hit differently for each group, but should still feel like it came from the same soul. When messaging gets messy, you build a house of friction where operations, marketing, and product constantly step on each other's toes.' Using brand tension to gain an advantage Clarity can give way to complexity as brands strive to craft a strategy that appeals to both mass and niche markets, which can give rise to brand tension. Although the instinct is to find a way to resolve the tension, that can inadvertently limit a brand's potential for success. According to Navarre, the brands that endure and thrive are often the ones that learn to live in the in-between. 'One of the most overlooked dynamics in building a brand that straddles both niche and mass audiences is the productive tension it creates,' he says. 'When embraced rather than avoided, that tension becomes a long-term competitive advantage.' As they embrace tension, brands build a layered identity, adopting elements that some may see as contradictions. Apple, for example, strives for a level of simplicity that maximizes its accessibility while also providing powerful developer tools that require a professional-level understanding. Rather than seeing the layers as contradictions, savvy companies understand them as a way to create brand depth. 'This kind of brand strategy is harder because it requires more discipline, more nuance, and an internal culture that resists the urge to collapse complexity into something neat,' Navarre says. 'But in a world increasingly flattened by sameness, tension is a signal that invites curiosity, rewards exploration, and keeps a brand interesting long after the product alone would've lost momentum.' Indeed, making a play for both mass and niche markets increases potential, but also increases risks. Brands that make it work are those that avoid confusion, manage tension, and deliver authenticity. Regardless of the market, success requires developing and deploying a strategy that drives the brand's cultural and commercial relevance forward. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
