The Police in Nasarawa State have arrested three persons in connection with the disappearance of a newborn baby from the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia, the state capital.
The baby’s mother, Mrs. Wosilat Suleiman, reported that she gave birth to a boy through the caesarean section on Tuesday morning around 3:00 am. Shortly after, a stranger entrusted with the baby by her relative reportedly absconded with the child.
“My relative who was taking care of me during the delivery wanted to pick up some things from the house, so she introduced a woman to me which I am not familiar with, to take care of me pending when she will be back,” Wosilat said.
“She told me that the woman will take care of me and the baby before she returns from the house.
“My relatives who concluded that the woman had a patient at the ward trusted her to help us before she returned.
“While at the postnatal ward the woman gave me the impression she wanted to bathe the baby and disappeared with him,” she explained.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police State, Mr. Umar Shehu Nadada, told journalists on Wednesday that the command is on top of the situation.
“We are working diligently to ascertain the whereabouts of the missing child,” he stated, adding that three people have been arrested while many others have been interrogated over the matter.
“According to reports, the incident was brought to light by Suleiman Abdullahi of Timber Shade, who visited the A Division police station yesterday, January 9th, 2024, to report the disappearance of his newborn son.
“Investigation is ongoing, I don’t want to prematurely speculate, but I don’t think it is connected to ritualists,” he said.
The management of the hospital through Dr. Mohammed Salihu, Acting Head of Obstetrics and Gynecology Department said it was the first time a thing like this ever happened at the hospital.
He explained that the baby was delivered around 3:00 am and handed over the relations of the patient before they were transferred to the postnatal ward.
He said it was unfortunate that the relations of the patient entrusted a strange woman to look after her sister resulting in the crisis.
