By Wilson Adekumola
The operatives of the Ogun State Police Command have arrested a 33-year-old woman, Olaide Adekunle, who sold her 18-month-old baby to settle a debt in the state.
The suspect allegedly sold the baby at the rate of N600,000 to a yet-to-be identified buyer.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, while speaking with journalists on Monday disclosed that the woman was arrested following a complaint lodged at Sango police division by the woman’s husband, Nureni Rasaq.
The husband had told the police that his wife went to Lagos on March 15, 2023, with their baby girl Moridiat Rasaq; noting that she came back home without the baby.
Mr Rasaq had stated further that all efforts to make his wife divulge the whereabouts of the child proved abortive.
Upon the report, Oyeyemi said that following the report, the DPO of Sango division, CSP Dahiru Saleh, had ordered his men to arrest the said wife.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed that she has sold the baby to someone in Lagos at the rate of N600,000,” Oyeyemi said.
When asked why the child was sold, Oyeyemi quoted the man as saying “she borrowed money from a microfinance bank, and when she was unable to pay back the money, the bank agents started dragging her and threatening to deal decisively with her.”
“Consequently, she ran to Lagos to hawk sachet water.
“In the course of selling sachet water, she had met a man who introduced her to a woman that eventually bought the child in Lagos.
The acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Babakura Muhammed, however, ordered the transfer of the suspect to the State CIID for further investigation and possible recovery of the baby.
