A suspected baby theft case that sparked outrage in Benin City has taken a dramatic turn after the Edo State Police Command exhumed the remains of a preterm baby and arrested the child’s mother for allegedly making a false report.
The latest development followed a major breakthrough by detectives investigating the alleged disappearance of the newborn, who was initially reported to have been stolen shortly after delivery.
Police also arrested another woman over alleged complicity, bringing the total number of suspects in custody in connection with the case to five.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, confirmed the development in an exclusive update on the ongoing investigation.
The baby’s mother, Princess Oke, had earlier accused the operator of Grace Health Maternity Healthcare, Osaze Okungbowa, 46, and a nurse, Dorcas Falade, 36, of conspiring to sell her newborn son after delivery at the facility located along Upper Sokponba Road in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area.
Oke claimed she regained consciousness after delivery only to see the placenta and was later informed that her baby had died. Rejecting the explanation, she insisted the child was alive and demanded that the hospital produce the baby.
The allegation prompted the then Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika, now an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, to order the immediate arrest of Okungbowa, who denied the accusation when he was paraded before journalists on July 5.
During interrogation, Okungbowa maintained that the baby was born prematurely at 35 weeks and died while being transported in an incubator to another hospital. He told investigators the baby’s remains were subsequently buried in a cemetery.
He also admitted that despite being addressed as “Doctor,” he was not a qualified medical doctor but an auxiliary nurse working at the health facility.
As the probe intensified, detectives arrested Nurse Falade and another suspect, Godwin Atekha, 49, over alleged complicity.
The investigation, however, took a decisive turn after detectives traced and exhumed the baby’s remains from the grave, casting serious doubt on the initial baby theft allegation.
According to police findings, preliminary investigations suggest the case may have stemmed from an alleged attempt to terminate the pregnancy rather than the theft of a newborn.
Investigators further alleged that Oke visited the maternity facility to terminate the pregnancy against her mother’s advice and did not inform her family of her visit on the day of the incident.
Based on the findings, police arrested Oke for allegedly making a false report.
The Anti-Violent Crimes Unit has since been directed to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the baby’s death and burial, while also determining whether any offences relating to child trafficking or other criminal activities were committed.
A police source disclosed that some of the suspects have been granted bail, while Okungbowa remained in police custody as investigations continue.
