Some patients and hospital staff members at P and G Hospital, Abule-Egba, Lagos State, have foiled an alleged attempt by a woman to steal a newborn baby.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday, with the suspect allegedly disguising herself as a pregnant woman by stuffing pieces of cloth under her clothes.
Another woman was also alleged to have posed as someone who had accompanied her to assist with childbirth.
Reports indicated that the suspects’ alleged plan was uncovered by people at the hospital, who intervened and prevented the baby from being taken away.
Videos of the incident circulating on social media showed the suspect being confronted by some individuals at the facility. In one of the clips, the pieces of cloth used to create the appearance of pregnancy were seen falling to the floor as she was being taken to a seat.
Another video showed the suspect being held and subsequently escorted into a vehicle.
The Lagos State Police Command confirmed the incident on Sunday, disclosing that the suspect had been arrested and was in custody.
The command’s spokesperson, Abimbola Adebisi, said the police were making efforts to apprehend the alleged accomplice.
“The alleged perpetrator is currently in custody, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the accomplice and charge the case to court as soon as the investigation is concluded,” Adebisi said.
The police added that the suspect would be arraigned after investigations had been concluded.
The incident is the latest in a series of reported cases involving alleged attempts to steal newborn babies in Lagos State.
In 2023, a 49-year-old woman, Modinat Faniyi, was arraigned before the Yaba Magistrates’ Court over an alleged attempt to steal a newborn baby at Ahmadiya Muslim Hospital in the Ijaiye-Ojokoro area of Lagos.
Faniyi was charged with attempted theft over the incident, which reportedly occurred on June 22, 2023.
The prosecutor, Thomas Nurudeen, told the court that the defendant allegedly entered the hospital and attempted to leave with the newborn while the baby’s mother was asleep.