6-month-old missing baby recovered in a ditch in Minna

A six-month-old baby who was reportedly stolen at his mother’s saloon in the Kure Ultra Modern Market, Minna on Sunday has been reportedly found.

The baby, Chinedu Chukwueke was reportedly discovered three days after he was declared missing in an erosion ditch said to be located several kilometers away from Minna, the Niger State capital were he was stolen.

According to the boy’s father, Chikezie Chuks, a lady who came to his mother’s saloon to register as an apprentice was responsible for the crime.

Chikezie made this known in a Facebook post, Sunday, when he declared his son missing.

According to him, the said apprentice’ action left his family devastated with a difficult situation to deal with when they could not find Chinedu.

Chikezie also called on the general public to help find his son or report to relevant authorities, any helpful information that could aid the search for this son. He said he had also reported to the GRA Police Post in Minna as he thought that would equally be instrumental in finding the boy fast.

His post read:

“The suspect came in the guise of wanting to learn work in my wife’s saloon and took the baby.”

Chikezie further described the suspect’s physical appearance which he thought would also aid an easy identification by the public. He wrote:

“The suspect is of average height, light in complexion with two facial marks and she spoke Igala and introduced herself as Rabi and was wearing a red dress with a matching hijab.”

Meanwhile, Police Public Relations Officer of the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, in a statement released yesterday, announced that the baby had been found.

According to Abiodun, Police at the GRA station where Chikezie had earlier reported the case, swung into action as soon as the case was reported and immediately commenced investigation aimed at apprehending the culprit while making efforts to recover the missing child.

Abiodun said: “The case of abduction after being reported at our GRA station was immediately recorded and transferred to SCID, Minna while anti-kidnapping unit of the command swung into action and commenced investigation with the aid of technical intelligence.

“Fortunately today (yesterday) about 1230hrs, due to a sustained pressure and close monitoring, the baby was found abandoned at an erosion ditch, close to Gauraka Primary School at Gauraka area of Tafa LGA.”

While the disclosure brought relief to the affected family, as the Police PRO confirmed their reunion with the baby, the suspect is still at large.

Abiodun however said that the baby was immediately taken to a nearby hospital for medical examination and confirmed to be in good health.

He added that the Police would not relent as efforts were ongoing to apprehend the fleeing perpetrator of the crime to face the full wrath of the law.

Also speaking on the matter, the state Commissioner of Police, Ogundele Ayodele while making reference to Mr Chikezie’s recent ordeal, admonished parents and guardians to be more careful, security conscious and avoid entrusting their children to strangers.