By Ado Oyeyemi
Operatives of the Delta State Police Command have arrested a woman for allegedly abducting two infants from different families in a desperate attempt to replace her deceased twin children ahead of a planned church dedication ceremony.
The suspect, identified simply as Joy, was apprehended following investigations that linked her to the disappearance of the babies in separate incidents within the state.
Police authorities said the woman confessed that she resorted to stealing the children after her twin babies died shortly before a child dedication and thanksgiving service that had already been arranged by her husband.
According to investigators, the suspect allegedly concealed the death of the twins from her husband and instead sought to present the abducted infants as her own during the church programme.
The spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, SP Bright Edafe, disclosed details of the case in a video made available to journalists on Wednesday.
Edafe used the incident to caution parents and guardians against leaving children in the care of strangers, stressing that vigilance remained critical in preventing child abduction.
He explained that one of the victims, a four-month-old baby, was allegedly taken after the suspect pretended to be a customer seeking to buy groundnuts.
According to him, the woman reportedly distracted a teenager carrying the infant before making away with the child.
Edafe further revealed that the suspect had allegedly carried out a similar abduction weeks earlier after befriending an 18-year-old nursing mother who worked as a roadside ticket seller.
He said the suspect gained the young mother’s trust by offering assistance and later disappeared with her three-month-old baby.
“She was trying to create a set of twins for herself. Investigations showed that she kept the children in her residence in Uzere,” the police spokesman said.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly admitted to the offences, explaining that the decision followed the death of her twin babies.
She claimed the children died when she was away from home and that the tragedy occurred after they were bathed with cold water.
According to her, her husband had already informed relatives, friends and church members about the forthcoming dedication ceremony, prompting her to seek a way to avoid revealing the loss.
The suspect allegedly told investigators that she abducted the first child about three weeks earlier and later took the second infant shortly before the scheduled church event.
Police authorities said efforts are ongoing to conclude investigations and ensure that justice is served, while the rescued children have been reunited with their families.
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The command also reiterated its appeal to parents and guardians to remain alert and avoid entrusting their children to unfamiliar persons, warning that child traffickers and abductors often exploit such opportunities.
