Women arrested for ‘attempting to sell’ two-month-old baby in Lagos

The Lagos police command says two women have been arrested for allegedly attempting to sell a two-month-old baby in the state.

Benjamin Hundeyin, police spokesperson in the state, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Hundeyin said a woman identified as Oge Okolie, who was the intermediary between the mother of the infant and the buyer, was exposed by passengers in a bus she boarded in the Oshodi area of the state.

He said Okolie aroused suspicion when she could not breastfeed the baby that was crying profusely.

“Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on Friday, May 26, 2023 successfully foiled an attempt by two women to sell a two-month-old baby,” the statement reads.

“The deal was uncovered in Oshodi when one Oge Okolie, aged 25, the intermediary between the mother of the baby and prospective buyer was suspected of stealing the baby.

“Passengers on a public bus noticed ceaseless crying from the baby with Okolie and questioned why she could not breastfeed it if it were her own biological child.”

“The suspect was about to be lynched when RRS operatives quickly stepped in to rescue her as well as the baby.

“Preliminary investigations led to the arrest of the mother of the baby, one Maria Ahmadu ‘f’ aged 26.”

The police spokesperson said Olayinka Egbeyemi, commander of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), has ordered the transfer of the suspects and the infant to the gender unit of the command for further investigation.