Bankole Taiwo, Abeokuta
The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 33-year-old woman, Olaide Adekunle, for allegedly selling her 18-month-old baby girl, Moridiat Rasaq, for N600,000 to an unknown buyer in Lagos.
The suspect was apprehended following a complaint made by her husband, Nureni Rasaq, at the Sango Divisional Headquarters.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the State, SP, Abimbola Oyeyemi disclosed this in a statement on Monday.
Oyeyemi said that the husband reported that his wife left home with their daughter on March 15, 2023, but returned without the child, and was unable to account for the baby’s whereabouts.
The PPRO added that the DPO of the Sango Division, CSP Dahiru Saleh, ordered detectives to track down the missing child, and go after the said woman, and she was promptly arrested.
He said, “Upon the report, the DPO Sango division, CSP Dahiru Saleh, detailed his detectives to go after the said woman, and she was promptly arrested.
“On interrogation, the suspect confessed that she has sold the baby to someone in Lagos at the rate of N600,000.
“When asked the reason for her action, she stated that she borrowed money from a microfinance bank, and when she was unable to pay back the money, the bank agents started dragging her and threatening to deal decisively with her.
“It was consequence upon this that she ran to Lagos and started hawking sachet water.
“It was while hawking that she met a man who introduced her to the woman that eventually bought the child in Lagos.”
The PPRO however, said the acting Commissioner of Police, DCP Babakura Muhammed, has directed that the suspect be transferred to State Criminal Investigation Departments for further investigation and possible recovery of the baby.