Metro

Police Recover Newborn Stolen From Ekiti Health Centre

Published

2 months ago

August 6, 2025

Editor

The police in Ekiti State on Wednesday recovered the newborn baby boy stolen from a health centre in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, on Monday morning.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Joseph Eribo, said the recovery of the baby and arrest of the suspect, Deborah Ayeni, followed diligent investigation by men and officials of the command.

The CP, who spoke in his office while handing over the baby to the parents, said, “In the process of probing the case of the missing baby, we discovered a nylon bag containing new baby items in the health centre.

“We discovered the receipt of a supermarket inside it. When we got to the supermarket, the CCTV showed her face.”

Eribo, who said that someone also hinted at a lady with a baby suspected not to be hers, said that security agents followed the information, which culminated in the recovery of the baby and the arrest of the suspect.

The 34-year-old suspect, Ayeni, while explaining the situation surrounding her action, said, “I made away with the baby from the health centre because I want a baby of my own”.

The young lady, who said that she had done a marriage engagement with a United Kingdom-based man, said, “I had done an engagement with my husband. He is in the UK. I was pregnant with him, but I lost the pregnancy in March.

“I did not tell him that I lost the pregnancy because he may not marry me again. That was why I decided to find a solution to that by stealing a baby.”

The suspect, while explaining how she executed the plot, said that she went to the health facility pretending she was pregnant by stuffing herself with cloths.

She said that she decided to be friendly with the parents of the newborn especially that she could communicate with them in Hausa language, adding, “I spent the Sunday night with the family in the health centre and I had the opportunity to take the baby at about 4 am on Monday when the father had gone to observe prayers and the mother went to bathroom”.

The suspect, who denied connivance with any staff of the facility, nor stalking the baby’s mother, said she had been looking for an opportunity to take any newborn baby as her own.

She said, “It was about 10 minutes after I left the facility with the baby that I got a commercial motorcycle to take us. The bike operator had just dropped a trader who went out early for trading activities”.

Ayeni said that she fed the baby with baby food while in her custody.

The baby’s father, 29-year-old Mustapha Aliyu, who expressed joy on the recovery of the baby, said that the lady was friendly with them and that he even asked her to assist the mother in caring for the baby when he wanted to step out of the hospital.

On how it happened, Aliyu said, “The hot water supply in the health centre ran out. My wife went to the bathroom, and then I went to the mosque to pray.

“Upon returning from prayer, I realised that the lady alongside my baby was nowhere to be found.”

Metro

BREAKING: Bodies Of 8 Missing Policemen Recovered In Benue

Published

11 hours ago

September 22, 2025

Editor

Lifeless bodies of the eight policemen who were declared missing after a deadly attack on security operatives at Agu Centre, on the border of Katsina-Ala and Ukum LGAs of Benue State, have been recovered.

Dr Justin Shaku, Chairman of Katsina-Ala LGA disclosed this to reporters in Makurdi on Monday.

According to him, “this brings the number of officers killed to 11 (10 policemen and one BSCPG)”.

The unfortunate incident occurred on Friday, when a team of security operatives came under the attack of armed invaders.

Three personnel were immediately confirmed dead while eight others were declared missing.

Metro

Police Arrest Three Kidnappers Over ₦6.9m Ransom, Victim’s Murder

Published

11 hours ago

September 22, 2025

Editor

Operatives of the Rivers State Police Command have arrested three suspected kidnappers who allegedly killed one of their victims after collecting N6.9 million ransom.

The Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed this in a statement issued on Monday.

Iringe-Koko identified the suspects as Hassan Mohammed (20) of Wandigah Town, Mandagali, Borno State; Bello Abubakar (25) of Roundabout Maura, Sokoto State; and Yusuf Ahmed (23) of Hazari LGA, Bauchi State.

She said the arrests followed an investigation into the abduction of Humphrey Wagbara of Igwuruta-Atali.

According to the PPRO, the suspects also kidnapped one Mercy Chinyere on September 12, 2025, at the same location, where they also collected a ransom of N3,500,000 before releasing her.

The statement read, “On 26th August, 2025, the Rivers State Police Command received a distressing report, suggesting the kidnapping of one Humphrey Wagbara, m of Igwuruta-Atali.

“Operatives of the Command attached to the Anti-Cultism Unit (ACU), Emohua Annexe, acting on this information and in a daring and coordinated operation on 19th September, 2025, at about 0200hrs arrested three suspects at different locations in Obio/Akpor and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of the State in connection with the kidnapping of the victim.”

Iringe-Koko said during interrogation, the suspects voluntarily confessed to their involvement in multiple kidnappings in the State.

Among their past kidnappings are those of Onwuli Jude and Nwabueze Nchekwube on September 24, 2025, at School Road, Igwuruta-Atali, where they collected a ransom of N6,900,000 before killing the victim.

“Exhibits recovered from the suspects include one G-3 rifle with Breech Number 10398, one magazine, one Itel phone belonging to Humphrey Wagbara, a kidnapped victim, three short daggers, one jack knife and one stainless short knife,” Rivers police imagemaker said.

Iringe-Koko added that the suspects and exhibits remain in police custody while detectives track other fleeing members of the syndicate and search for additional weapons.

The Command said it arrested a 48-year-old man, Emmanuel George, for allegedly defiling a 12-year-old girl (name withheld) in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

According to Iringe-Koko, George committed the offence on September 6, 2025, after luring the minor while she was sent on an errand by her aunt.