The Ogun State Police Command has arrested a 23-year-old lady, Mary Olatayo, for allegedly selling her three-week-old-baby for N600,000.
The police said the suspect was arrested following a complaint from the father of the baby, who reported at the Mowe divisional headquarters that he met Mary sometime ago, and they started dating each other.
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Abimbola Oyeyemi, said: “He stated further that Mary got pregnant in the process and he rented an apartment for her, where she lived till she delivered a baby boy. He complained further that the lady suddenly disappeared with the baby from the apartment three weeks after delivery, only for her to be found in a hotel where she had gone for a hookup with another man. All efforts to know where the baby was proved futile.
“On the strength of his complaint, DPO Mowe division, SP Folake Afeniforo, detailed detectives to the scene where the suspect was arrested and brought to the station.
“On interrogation, Mary Olatayo, confessed to the police that she has sold the baby to someone in Anambra State at the rate of N600,000. She confessed further that it was her friend, Chioma Esther Ogbonna, who led her to the buyer in Anambra, and that they both shared the money equally. Her confession led to the arrest of Chioma Esther Ogbonna, who also corroborated Mary’s claims.
“Further investigation revealed that Olatayo, a native of Omu-aran in Kwara State is a call girl, who saw the baby as a disturbance to her business, hence, she decided to do away with him. Fortunately for her, she had an accomplice in Chioma, a native of Imo State, who quickly contacted the buyer in Anambra State.”
Meanwhile, Commissioner of Police, Mr. Lanre Bankole, has ordered the transfer of the suspects to anti human trafficking and child labour unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Departments (SCIID) for further investigation. The CP also directed that everything possible must be done to recover the baby.