By Ade Oyeyemi
Patients and medical personnel at P and G Hospital, Abule-Egba, Lagos State, have reportedly prevented an alleged attempt to steal a newborn baby after a woman allegedly disguised herself as an expectant mother.
The incident occurred on Saturday, with the suspect reportedly apprehended following the intervention of hospital workers and patients.
The Lagos State Police Command confirmed on Sunday that the woman was in custody and would be charged to court after investigations had been concluded.
According to reports, the suspect allegedly concealed pieces of cloth beneath her clothes to create the impression that she was pregnant. Another woman was also said to have accompanied her, allegedly pretending to be someone who had come to assist with childbirth.
Videos of the incident circulating on social media showed the suspect being confronted by people at the hospital. In one of the clips, she was forced onto a seat as the pieces of cloth reportedly used to simulate a pregnancy fell to the floor.
A man dressed in traditional attire was also seen slapping the suspect as others questioned her over the alleged scheme. Another video showed her being restrained before she was taken into a vehicle.
The police spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, confirmed the development in response to an enquiry, stating that the suspect remained in custody while efforts were being made to apprehend her alleged accomplice, who reportedly fled.
“The alleged perpetrator is currently in custody, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the accomplice and charge the case to court as soon as the investigation is concluded,” Adebisi said.
The incident adds to previous reports of alleged attempts to steal newborn babies in Lagos State.
In 2023, a 49-year-old woman, Modinat Faniyi, was arraigned before the Yaba Magistrates’ Court over an alleged attempt to steal a newborn at Ahmadiya Muslim Hospital in the Ijaiye-Ojokoro area of the state.
Faniyi was charged with attempted theft over the incident, which reportedly occurred on June 22, 2023. The prosecutor, Thomas Nurudeen, told the court that the defendant allegedly attempted to leave the hospital with the baby while the mother was asleep.
