Crime
WOMAN ARRESTED FOR STEALING NEWBORN BABY FROM EKITI HOSPITAL
A 34-year-old woman, Deborah, has been arrested by the Ekiti State Police Command for stealing a newborn baby from the Okeiyinmi Primary Healthcare Centre in Ado-Ekiti. The incident occurred less than 20 hours after the baby’s birth, sparking panic among hospital staff and patients.
Deborah, who was paraded at the police headquarters, confessed to the crime, saying she had been lying to her boyfriend in the UK about being pregnant. “I planned the act to steal the baby because I had lied to my man, who is based in the UK, that I was pregnant for months,” she said. “So, when the man decided that he was coming home to visit me and knowing full well I had been deceiving him to collect money for years.”
According to the police, Deborah carefully planned the act, pretending to be a relative of a patient at the facility to gain access to the maternity ward. She took advantage of lax security and fled with the baby undetected. Deborah claimed she had no intention of harming the baby and was only trying to protect her relationship.
The police spokesperson assured the public that the baby had been rescued and returned safely to the biological mother, who was overwhelmed with emotions upon seeing her child again. “The suspect would be charged to court after the completion of investigations,” he added.
The Ekiti State Police Command arrested Deborah at her residence along Afao Road in Ado-Ekiti, following a tip-off from a citizen. Commissioner of Police Joseph Eribo praised the public for their cooperation and urged citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to security agencies.
“We approached the supermarket and they gave us the CCTV footage, which showed her face. We got some credible information on her whereabouts from the person who knew she wasn’t pregnant and carrying a new baby, after the news of the incident went viral,” Eribo said.
Deborah expressed deep regret over her actions, saying she doesn’t want to lose her boyfriend. The police have reiterated their commitment to ensuring justice is served and urged the public to always report suspicious activities within their communities to help maintain safety and order.
A 30-year-old pregnant woman is currently receiving medical treatment after she was allegedly raped and assaulted by a 24-year-old suspect, identified as Ugwu Desmond, in Affa community, Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.
According to the Enugu State Police Command, the incident occurred on the night of March 14, 2026, when the victim was returning home from a neighbour’s house along a quiet path in Amokwo-Affa.
Police said the suspect, armed with a cutlass, reportedly trailed the victim before attacking her from behind. He allegedly forced her to the ground, attempted to strangle her, and covered her mouth to prevent her from raising alarm. The assailant then dragged her into an uncompleted building where he threatened to kill her before raping her and inflicting injuries.
The victim reportedly managed to survive the ordeal and reported the incident to authorities around 6:15 a.m. the following day, prompting swift action by operatives of the Affa Police Division, who arrested the suspect.
The police said the victim was immediately taken to hospital for treatment, while investigators processed the scene and recovered key exhibits, including the cutlass used in the attack and clothing suspected to contain blood and seminal stains.
The Command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, confirmed the development, adding that the suspect has confessed to the crime.
Commissioner of Police, Mamman Bitrus Giwa, described the incident as disturbing and assured that a thorough investigation is ongoing. He stated that the suspect would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
Giwa also urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities promptly, stressing that community awareness is critical to preventing crime.
A Nigerian national, James Junior Aliyu, has been sentenced to 90 months (seven and a half years) in prison in the United States for his involvement in a large-scale wire fraud and money laundering scheme.
According to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Aliyu played a key role in a transnational cybercrime network that targeted business email systems and defrauded individuals and organisations of millions of dollars.
Investigations revealed that the fraud scheme involved hacking into corporate email accounts and using them to divert funds through fraudulent transactions. Authorities said the operation affected multiple victims and formed part of a broader business email compromise (BEC) conspiracy.
Aliyu was arrested in South Africa in 2022 following an international investigation involving Interpol and local law enforcement before being extradited to the United States to face trial.
The 30-year-old later pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering. As part of the sentence, the court ordered him to forfeit $1.2 million and pay $2.4 million in restitution to victims.
Authorities also confirmed that Aliyu will be deported after completing his prison term.
Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) have arrested a suspected gunrunner, Kelvin Ebikeniye Dugo, in Cross River State, intercepting a cache of 850 rounds of live ammunition.
The arrest, which took place on March 16 at Ivara Esu Estate in Odukpani Local Government Area, followed credible intelligence on the suspect’s alleged plan to acquire the ammunition.
Security sources said Dugo was apprehended shortly after receiving the consignment, which had been concealed inside food items. The ammunition was reportedly supplied by another suspected gunrunner, Azenda Barnabas, also known as Jagaban, based in Aliade, Benue State.
Items recovered during the operation included 850 rounds of live ammunition and two empty AK-47 magazines.
The sources noted that the DSS has stepped up operations nationwide in a bid to dismantle gunrunning networks and curb the proliferation of illegal arms.
They added that the latest arrest underscores the agency’s ongoing commitment to tracking down and prosecuting individuals involved in arms trafficking across the country.