The Oyo State Police Command has apprehended a 23-year-old mother for allegedly absconding with another woman’s three-day-old baby.
The command’s Spokesman, SP Adewale Osifeso, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Ibadan.
Osifeso said that the woman allegedly absconded with another woman’s baby after a week of her suffering stillbirth and having the intention of replacing the baby with her’s.
He said that the command under the state Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, caught the suspect who lives at Badore Area, Ajah, Lagos State, that absconded with the female baby on July 19.
Osifeso said that preliminary findings revealed that the baby’s mother, Monsurat Lateef of Itamerin Area, Ogbere, Ona Ara LGA, delivered a female child on July 16 at Mission House, Yahora Faith Mission, Itamerin, Ogbere.
“On Tuesday, July 19 she proceeded to Abaemu General Hospital, Ona-Ora, to initiate immunisation proceedings for her daughter from where she met the suspect who approached her as a friendly patient who also sought medical intervention.
“Unknowing to Monsurat, the suspect had just suffered a stillbirth and had been referred to the same health facility for scan.
“They got chatting and the suspect indicated interest in moving down to Ibadan from Lagos and was in dire need of accommodation.
“Monsurat Lateef ‘f’ ’36yrs’, driven by empathy decided to oblige the total stranger by assisting her with the house search,” he said.
Osifeso further said that Monsurat decided to invite the suspect over to spend the night because at the time, the house searching had encroached into late evening.
The spokesman said that around 1 p.m, the suspect, who had gained total confidence and trust of her host, Monsurat, pleaded to use a nearby Point of Sales terminal with the baby on her back.
He said that Monsurat obliged the suspect and before she later realised she had been tricked, the suspect had absconded with her child.
He said that the suspect would be charged to court upon completion of investigation.
Osifeso therefore enjoined residents of the state to remain cooperative and unrelenting with providing timely and credible information capable of nipping crime in the bud at all times.