Benue State Police Command has recovered a newborn baby allegedly taken from his mother at a healthcare facility in Gboko, with suspects arrested over the incident.
The Benue State Police Command has confirmed the recovery of a newborn baby who was allegedly taken from his mother shortly after delivery at a healthcare facility in Gboko, Benue State.
The infant was reportedly recovered in the early hours of Thursday following police intervention after the child’s disappearance was reported.
The Police Public Relations Officer of the command, DSP Peter Aondona, confirmed the development while speaking with journalists on Thursday.
According to Aondona, the case was initially reported at the A Division Police Station in Gboko before it was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
He disclosed that the baby was recovered around midnight on Wednesday and was subsequently taken to the police division.
“Yesterday (Wednesday) in the midnight, we recovered the baby and the baby is at the division now,” Aondona said.
The police spokesperson also confirmed that suspects had been arrested in connection with the alleged abduction.
However, he said the command would disclose the exact number of suspects at a later stage as investigations continue.
How newborn baby was allegedly taken in Gboko
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday, August 11, shortly after the newborn boy was delivered at a healthcare facility in Gboko.
Reports surrounding the incident indicated that the baby initially did not cry after birth, prompting a nurse to intervene and stabilise him.
After the intervention, the mother and baby were reportedly moved to a ward.
While they were in the ward, a woman allegedly approached the mother and presented herself as a nurse. She reportedly asked to examine the newborn.
Believing that the woman was a member of the healthcare staff, the mother reportedly handed the baby to her.
The woman was then said to have taken the newborn towards the labour room.
The situation reportedly became alarming when the woman failed to return with the child. The family subsequently realised that the newborn was missing and raised an alarm within the facility.
The incident reportedly caused tension at the healthcare centre, leading to the deployment of security personnel as efforts were intensified to locate the missing child.
Police recover baby, arrest suspects
Following the report, officers at the A Division Police Station in Gboko commenced efforts to locate the newborn and identify those responsible for his disappearance.
The matter was later transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department for more detailed investigation.
The police eventually recovered the baby during the early hours of Thursday.
The child has since been reunited with his mother, bringing relief to the family following the distress caused by his disappearance.
Although the police have confirmed arrests, the identities of the suspects and the total number of people in custody have not been made public.
The command has also not disclosed the precise circumstances surrounding the baby’s recovery.
Investigation into alleged baby abduction continues
Police investigators are expected to establish how the woman allegedly gained access to the newborn, whether she had any connection with the healthcare facility and what motivated the alleged act.
Authorities are also working to determine whether other individuals were involved in the incident.
The Benue State Police Command has not yet released further details concerning possible charges against the suspects.
The development comes as the police continue their investigation into the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of the newborn.
For the family, the immediate priority has been achieved with the safe return of the baby.
The recovered child remains in police custody at the division as the investigation progresses, according to the police spokesperson.
Further details are expected from the command as investigators establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged abduction and the subsequent recovery of the newborn.
