A newborn baby boy has reportedly been stolen from a hospital in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, shortly after he was delivered. Our correspondent gathered that the incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday after the baby was taken to a ward with his mother for further care following his delivery. It was learnt that the baby did not cry immediately after birth, prompting a nurse on duty to intervene before the newborn eventually responded normally. The mother and baby were subsequently moved to a ward, where a woman allegedly approached the mother, claiming to be a nurse who wanted to examine the baby again. The woman allegedly collected the newborn from his mother and headed towards the labour room. The baby’s grandmother, who reportedly became suspicious, followed the woman and stood at the entrance of the labour room. However, she was allegedly asked to step back and assured that everything was under control, prompting her to comply. The woman was said to have disappeared with the baby shortly afterwards. Nurses on duty reportedly denied going to the ward to collect the newborn, insisting that the woman who allegedly posed as a nurse was not a member of their staff. The incident sparked tension at the hospital as family members, sympathisers and other concerned persons gathered at the facility to console the distraught mother. Security operatives were subsequently deployed to the hospital to prevent a breakdown of law and order and restore calm. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Peter Aondongu, confirmed the incident to journalists in Makurdi on Wednesday night. Aondongu said the matter had been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation. He said the incident occurred at a Family Healthcare Centre in Gboko but was being transferred to Makurdi for further investigation, particularly due to the attention it had generated. The PPRO promised to provide further details after obtaining adequate information on the circumstances surrounding the incident.
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