The Police in Ogun State have arrested a 30-year old woman identifieas Risikat Olabintan for allegedly throwing away her day-old baby into a soak-away.
The incident occurred at the Surulere area of Owode-Yewa in the state.
Olabintan was said to have secretly given birth to her sixth child for a man who had abandoned her and had attempted to dispose of the newborn.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, who disclosed this said her arrest followed a distress call received by members of Ibukun Oluwapo Community, Ishaga Surulere area in Owode-Yewa.
According to him, some children while playing at the backyard of their compound heard the cry of a baby in the soak-away and raised alarm.
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He said: “On receiving the information, the Divisional Police Officer, Owode-Yewa, Superintendent of police, Olabisi Elebute quickly led a team of policemen to the scene where the baby was rescued with the assistance of members of the public.
“Investigation later revealed that it was the said Risikat Olabintan gave birth secretly to the baby and threw him inside the soak-away as early as 5 am of that day, hence she was apprehended.
“On interrogation, she made a confessional statement that she actually gave birth to the baby which is the sixth of her children and that she has no means of feeding them all since her husband has absconded to an unknown destination for quite some time now.”
Oyeyemi disclosed that both the baby and the mother have been taken to the hospital for medical attention and that the baby was responding positively to treatment.
He said the case will be transferred to the Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Labour Unit of the State Investigation and Intelligence Department for proper investigation on the orders of the Commissioner of Police, CP Imohimi Edgal.
