The 39-year-old suspect blamed it on her hunger for a male child. Police in Ekiti State picked up Mercy Momoh accusing her of stealing a two-month-old baby in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Momoh, who hails from Edo State, was arrested on Saturday at her residence located at Odo-Aremu area, along old Governor’s Office in the state capital.
The baby was stolen from his mother, Mrs Funmilayo Sunday, on Friday around 1pm at the State Secretariat.
It was gathered that the suspect tricked the baby’s mother into following her to the State Secretariat ostensibly to collect some relief materials being given by government to flood victims.
The suspect, on getting there, sent the baby’s mother to buy phone airtime for her, and then ran away with the baby before his mother returned.
Police command spokesperson, Caleb Ikechukwu confirmed the suspect was arrested on Saturday, adding that investigation was ongoing.
He said, “It is confirmed that the woman who stole two-month-old baby has been arrested by the operatives of the Ekiti police command.
“She was apprehended through intelligence made available to the police and would be prosecuted after conclusion of investigation.
“Investigation is still on going. More details will come to reveal what really transpired.”
“We call on members of the public to be careful when dealing with strangers. The suspect was apparently nice to the victim, that was why she got the baby easily. Citizens should not be carried away by kind strangers,” Ikechukwu said.
A source said the police were informed of the incident by the baby’s mother on the same day, at about 4.30pm.
Police detectives moved in, tracing the suspect to her residence, where she was arrested around 11pm.
According to her, the suspect confessed that she stole the baby because of her dire need of a male child.
The suspect claimed that due to her inability to bear a male child, her husband got married to another woman and may likely throw her out of the house.
The source added that the Commissioner of Police, Amba Asuquo, has directed that the matter to be thoroughly investigated.
