The Lagos Police Command has arrested a medical doctor, a traditional birth attendant (TBA) and the parents of a newborn over the alleged sale of the baby for N2.5 million.
NAN reports the 28-year-old mother and her boyfriend decided not to keep the child and sought people to help sell the baby after birth. They were linked to a prospective buyer in Ikorodu through intermediaries.
The woman first went to a TBA to deliver, but complications forced a transfer to a private hospital in Ikorodu. There, the principal suspect—a 31-year-old doctor—performed a successful Caesarean section that saved both mother and child. The sale was reportedly finalised inside the hospital and the baby handed to an unidentified buyer for N2.5 million. The buyer remains at large.
Police Commissioner Fatai Tijani has moved the case from Area E Command, Festac, to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). The Anti‑Human Trafficking/Gender Unit of SCID, led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Dayo Akinbisehin, is handling the probe.
A police source told NAN that efforts to trace the buyer failed when the supplied address and phone turned out to be fake.
“The information supplied by the person who took the baby turned out to be false. The address could not be traced and the phone number was incorrect.
“The baby’s mother had initially consented to the arrangement. However, the deal went sour after she allegedly received only N700,000 out of the agreed N2.5 million payment.
“The matter came to light after the woman raised concerns over the unpaid balance. Some non-governmental organisations later became involved and reported the matter to the police, triggering an investigation,” the source said.
The doctor, the parents and the TBA are in custody and will be charged after investigations. Police say efforts continue to find the buyer and rescue the baby. (NAN)
