By Kamil Opeyemi
The Police Command in Lagos State says it has arrested a mother and another woman, who allegedly attempted to sell a nine-month-old baby.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the arrest on Saturday in a statement.
Hundeyin said that members of the public and operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) foiled the crime on Friday.
He said that the deal was uncovered at Oshodi area, when one Oge Okolie, aged 25, who was the intermediary between the baby’s mother and the prospective buyer, was arrested on the suspicion of stealing the baby.
“Passengers on a public bus noticed ceaseless crying from the baby with Okolie and questioned why she could not breastfeed the child if she was the biological mother.
“The suspect was about to be lynched when RRS operatives quickly stepped in to rescue her as well as the baby.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that the baby’s mother, one Maria Ahmadu, aged 26, allegedly gave her child to Oge to sell. This led to the arrest of the young mother,” he said.
Hundeyin said that the suspects and the baby have been transferred to the Gender Unit of the Command for further investigation and prosecution.