Two ladies have been detained by the Lagos State Police Command in connection with the disappearance of a baby at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.
According to The PUNCH, this was disclosed by the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, who stated that the baby is still missing.
It was gathered that a policeman attached to the SCID, Samuel Ukpabio, took the child from his mother, Fortune Obafuoso, while claiming to be acting for a government ministry.
Obafuoso stated that on Friday, December 23, 2022, after she gave birth to her baby, a police officer detained her and took her and her children, including the infant, to the SCID on the charge that she meant to sell the baby, which she disputed.
The 35-year-old said that Ukpabio forcibly grabbed the infant and gave him to an unnamed woman while questioning her at the police formation.
The officer then paid her N15,000 and issued a warning not to come back for the child.
She continued to demand the child, so he sent her another N170,000.
The police spokesman, Hundeyin, had confirmed the arrest of the policeman.
Providing an update on the matter on Tuesday, he said, “Two ladies have been arrested; the inspector (Ukpabio) mentioned the person he gave the baby to and we arrested that person. The person is in detention now. During interrogation, that person mentioned that she gave the baby to another person and the person has been arrested and detained.
“Both of them have not denied collecting the baby but we still don’t know where the baby is. We are still working and by the end of tomorrow (Wednesday), we should be able to tell where they took the baby to. So, we have a total of three people in detention now; the inspector, and the two ladies.”
Meanwhile, the Country Director, Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, said the manner Obafuoso was treated by the police was appalling, adding that justice must prevail and the baby returned.
Ojigho said, “Section 30 of the Child’s Rights Act prohibits the sale of children. The police officer involved in intimidating and harassing the woman seeking the return of her child must be investigated and prosecuted.
“It is disheartening that the police leadership has delayed in doing the right thing. It is important that the child is returned to the mother and the illicit transaction the officer facilitated or acted as an intermediary exposed.”
