A female sergeant attached to the Akinpelu Police
Division, Obotie Adesuwa, recently sold a week-old baby boy who had been
brought with his mother to a police station.
Division, Obotie Adesuwa, recently sold a week-old baby boy who had been
brought with his mother to a police station.
The baby boy and her mother, Toyin, who is said to be
mentally unstable, had also been brought to by a Good Samaritan.
mentally unstable, had also been brought to by a Good Samaritan.
It was gathered that the Good Samaritan,
who was taking care of the baby’s mother, had brought Toyin and her
child to the station after Toyin was delivered of the baby in a
psychiatric hospital.
who was taking care of the baby’s mother, had brought Toyin and her
child to the station after Toyin was delivered of the baby in a
psychiatric hospital.
They were reportedly brought to the
police in the last week of September. It was learnt that Adesuwa, who
was on duty, had received the baby.
police in the last week of September. It was learnt that Adesuwa, who
was on duty, had received the baby.
There
was, however, trouble at the Akinpelu division on Monday, November 9,
when Toyin showed up at the station to ask for her baby, but the
sergeant allegedly denied knowing the woman.
was, however, trouble at the Akinpelu division on Monday, November 9,
when Toyin showed up at the station to ask for her baby, but the
sergeant allegedly denied knowing the woman.
It was learnt that the matter had caused
an altercation during which the Divisional Police Officer invited the
mother and the sergeant and interrogated them. The sergeant was said to
have confessed to the DPO that she collected the baby but had sold him.
an altercation during which the Divisional Police Officer invited the
mother and the sergeant and interrogated them. The sergeant was said to
have confessed to the DPO that she collected the baby but had sold him.
Adesuwa allegedly took the baby to her village in Edo State, and
later sold him to a family in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Adesuwa,
who allegedly failed to record the incident in the crime diary of the
police station on the fateful evening, was then arrested and taken to
the Area F command, Ikeja, from where she was later transferred to the
X-Squad Section.
later sold him to a family in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Adesuwa,
who allegedly failed to record the incident in the crime diary of the
police station on the fateful evening, was then arrested and taken to
the Area F command, Ikeja, from where she was later transferred to the
X-Squad Section.
A source who spoke to Punch newspaper said,
“The incident happened
at the Akinpelu Police Division. The sergeant received the report of a
mentally deranged woman and her newborn baby. But on the same evening,
she was said to have arranged for the woman and the baby to be put
inside a car and driven away by unknown persons.“At a junction, the baby’s mother was
given N500 and asked to alight. The car drove away with the baby. It was
on Monday, November 9, that the mother unbelievably showed up at the
station to ask for her baby. The sergeant initially denied ever meeting
her.“The DPO was later informed, and took
all of them to the Area Commander, and then the female sergeant was
arrested. The baby has now been recovered.”
Another source, who claimed to have
spoken with Adesuwa after her arrest, added that the sergeant gave the
baby to one of her relatives in Edo State to sell to a couple in Port
Harcourt at an undisclosed amount.
spoken with Adesuwa after her arrest, added that the sergeant gave the
baby to one of her relatives in Edo State to sell to a couple in Port
Harcourt at an undisclosed amount.
She explained that the baby was later rescued through the help of policemen while the buyer was also arrested.
She said,
“The mother of the baby came
to ask after him about two months after and that was when the bubble
burst. When Adesuwa denied ever knowing her, the baby’s mother was
enraged and went to report to the DPO.“The DPO then ordered that Adesuwa be
detained.That was when she confessed to the DPO that the baby had been
taken to her village, and later sold in Port Harcourt. The suspect, was
however, able to help in recovering the baby.“The woman, who helped her to carry the
baby to Port Harcourt, has also been arrested. She (Adesuwa) told us,
her police friends, that it was the devil that pushed her to commit the
crime.”