The Ekiti State Police Command has confirmed the arrest and recovery of a newborn baby boy stolen from a health centre in Ado Ekiti, on Monday.
This was disclosed by the State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, while handing the baby back to his lawful parents at the command headquarters, on Wednesday.
The CP said the success was as a result of diligent investigation launched immediately after the baby was reported missing. “During our probe, we found a nylon bag containing new baby items at the health facility. A receipt found inside led us to a supermarket, where CCTV footage revealed the suspect’s identity,” the CP explained.
Eribo, said intelligence also pointed officers to a woman seen in the area with a baby believed not to be hers. This information led to the arrest of 34-year-old Deborah Ayeni and the rescue of the infant.
Ayeni, during interrogation, confessed to the crime, revealing that she had recently suffered a miscarriage but kept it discreet from her fiancé in the UK.
“I lost the pregnancy in March but didn’t tell my fiancé because I feared he would no longer marry me. I needed a baby to cover up the loss, so I stole one,” she said.
The suspect described how she disguised herself as a pregnant woman using stuffed clothing and befriended the baby’s parents by speaking to them in Hausa. She spent the night at the health facility and seized the opportunity to abduct the baby around 4 a.m. when the father went to the mosque for morning prayers and the mother stepped out to use the bathroom.
She denied any collaboration with the hospital staff and said she had been looking for an opportunity to take a baby as her own. She fed the baby with infant formula while in hiding.
The baby’s father, 29-year-old Mustapha Aliyu, confirmed the suspect had gained their trust. “She was friendly with us, and I even asked her to help care for the baby while I stepped out. But when I returned from prayers, both she and the baby were gone.”
The Ekiti police command has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safety of all residents and warned the public to remain vigilant around strangers, especially in healthcare facilities.
