Police Arrest Two More Suspects Over Missing, Death Of Preterm Baby In Edo

by MIKE OSAROGIAGBON

Edo State Police Command said it has arrested two more suspects in connection with the disappearance of a preterm baby shortly after delivery in Benin City, bringing the number of suspects in custody to three.

The command said investigators who confirmed that the baby is deceased are also preparing to exhume his remains from a suspected burial site as part of efforts to unravel the circumstances surrounding the case.

The spokesperson for the police Command, ASP Eno Ikoedem in an exclusive chat with our correspondent, Tuesday, identified the latest suspects as Godwin Atekha, 49, and Dorcas Falade, 36.

According to her, the duo joined Osaze Okungbowa, 46, who was earlier paraded by the Commissioner of Police, CP Monday Agbonika, last Friday.

ASP Ikoedem said detectives were led to the location where the baby was allegedly buried, while efforts were ongoing to identify the exact gravesite ahead of possible exhumation.

Police had during Osaze Okungbowa’s parade alleged that one Falade, a nurse, was invited by Okungbowa to assist with the delivery at his facility, but declined, directing that the expectant mother be taken to her residence, where the baby was allegedly delivered.

It was reported that Osaze Okungbowa was arrested for posing as a medical doctor, conducting childbirths and trafficking newborn babies from Grace Health Maternity Healthcare located on Upper Sokponba Road in Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.

While being paraded, he reportedly admitted he was not a qualified medical doctor as he was only trained as an auxiliary nurse.

“I was employed as the manager of the hospital. The owner employs both qualified and unqualified persons, I am not a qualified medical doctor,” Okungbowa stated.

The suspect further claimed the newborn developed complications after birth, died while being taken to a hospital with an incubator and was later buried at an Anglican cemetery.

“The baby was not feeling fine, so we decided to take the child to a hospital with an incubator, on the way, the baby died. We later buried the baby at an Anglican cemetery,” he added.

Meanwhile, the baby’s mother, Princess Oke, disputed the account, insisting she heard her baby cry after delivery before losing consciousness.

She said she regained consciousness to find only the placenta, insisting that the claims her baby died were fabricated and demanded that those responsible produce her baby boy.

Checks by our correspondent at the Edo State Police Command headquarters in Benin on Tuesday revealed that the embattled nurse, Dorcas Falade, had on Monday turned herself in to explain her role in the case but was detained by investigators attached to the Anti-Violent Crimes Unit.

The police said the planned exhumation would aid ongoing investigations into allegations of baby trafficking and determine the actual circumstances surrounding the baby’s disappearance.

CP Agbonika had during the parade last Friday assured that the suspects would be charged upon the conclusion of Investigations.