A newborn baby boy has reportedly been abducted from a healthcare facility in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.
The incident reportedly occurred in the early hours of Tuesday after the baby and his mother were taken to a ward for post-delivery care.
According to sources, the baby initially failed to cry after birth, prompting a nurse on duty to intervene. The newborn later responded and was said to be stable before being taken with his mother to the ward.
While they were in the ward, a woman allegedly approached the mother and identified herself as a nurse. She reportedly told the mother that she needed to carry out another examination on the newborn.
The woman then allegedly took the baby and headed towards the labour room.
The baby’s grandmother, who became suspicious, reportedly followed the woman and waited near the entrance of the labour room. However, the suspect allegedly asked her to leave, assuring her that everything was under control.
The grandmother reportedly complied, but the woman allegedly disappeared with the baby shortly afterwards.
Nurses at the facility later reportedly denied knowing the woman, saying she was not a member of their staff.
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The incident caused panic at the facility as relatives and concerned residents gathered to support the baby’s mother. Security personnel were also deployed to maintain order.
Confirming the incident on Wednesday night, the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, said the case had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for further investigation.
Aondongu explained that although the incident occurred at a healthcare centre in Gboko, the case was moved to Makurdi because of the attention it had attracted.
The police spokesman said further details would be made public as investigators establish more facts about the circumstances surrounding the newborn’s disappearance.
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