A newborn baby stolen from a hospital in Ado-Ekiti has been safely recovered and reunited with his parents, thanks to a swift and coordinated operation by the Ekiti State Police Command.
Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, confirmed the recovery on Wednesday, identifying the baby’s parents as 29-year-old Mustapha Aliyu and 22-year-old Salmatu Lawal.
According to Eribo, the case broke open after a concerned informant contacted a senior police officer, expressing suspicion about a woman she had seen and connected to the widely reported abduction.
Investigators traced a bag left behind at the hospital, which contained cotton wool and a receipt from a well-known supermarket.
Reviewing CCTV footage from the supermarket, officers were able to identify a woman seen with a group of men, a crucial lead that led to the suspect’s arrest.
Police revealed that the suspect, Miss Deborah Ayeni, had faked a pregnancy and loitered around the hospital pretending to be an expectant mother.
She seized the opportunity to abduct the baby when the mother briefly stepped away from the ward.
During questioning, Ayeni confessed to the crime.
She told investigators she lost her pregnancy in March and feared her husband, who resides in the United Kingdom, might leave her.
Out of desperation, she said, she decided to steal a baby to cover up the loss. She also admitted to spending the night at the hospital to build trust and bond with the infant before carrying out the abduction.
The baby’s father, Mustapha Aliyu, expressed deep gratitude for the police’s swift action.
“We thank Allah for bringing our child back to us safely. We also appreciate the police for their tireless efforts and professionalism,” he said.
Aliyu explained that the baby was taken while he had briefly stepped out to purchase supplies for his wife.
The police say investigations are ongoing and that charges will be filed against Ayeni in due course.
