The world, they say, is replete with complexities. For the people of Akinigbon community in Iddo Local Government Area of Oyo State, one of such complexities played out on Sunday, March 18 when an unknown woman, simply identified as Fatima, attempted to abandon her baby boy.
As the story goes, the nursing mother came to the community with her nine-month-old baby strapped to her back. Her movements were said to be suspicious as Fatima was seen loitering at a solitary point without having a definite place or mission in mind.
Those in the neighbourhood said that at some point it became apparent to them that she was up to a mischief. An eyewitness said the evasive woman stealthily unstrapped her baby and laid him on the ground. Having dropped the baby boy at a corner, she was said to have set to bolt away from the scene when some members of the community accosted her.
However, during interrogation, Fatima denied the allegation that she was planning to abandon her son, Faruk, and run away. She said during an interview that she came in search of her aunt, Mummy Adija who, according to her, lives at Aba Eleshin to sort a family matter.
When probed further, she explained that she came from Omi Adio in Ibadan to deliver a letter to her aunt.
She explained further that the letter was written to resolve a quarrel between her and her estranged husband. The man, she said, had left home and abandoned her with the baby without any hope of survival. Fatima added that she had put the baby down to rest before continuing the search for her aunt’s house when a group of people suddenly came to question her.
Fatima said: “It is not true that I tried to abandon my baby and run away. I did not plan to abandon my baby here. I was searching for an address and was just passing through this area when I was summoned by some residents who were sitting in front of a shop. They beckoned on me and asked of my mission in the area. I explained to them that I am a visitor in the area but they did not believe my story; they said that my movement was suspicious.
“One of the residents of the area, a woman, asked me to hand over my handbag and my baby to her. I was shocked when I was accused of attempting to abandon my baby. It is not true that I attempted to abandon my baby in the area. I came in search of my aunt’s house to resolve a problem in my family.
“Consequent upon the disagreement between my husband and I – my husband has been away from home – my baby and I have, ever since, been left without care and means of survival. I have since been walking round town and struggling for survival.
“I sleep anywhere when it is nightfall. I don’t have a place where I call home anymore and things are extremely bad for me and my child. I came here from Omi to visit my aunt who resides at Aba Eleshin in order to deliver a letter to her. The letter was written to ask my aunt to intervene in the conflict between my husband and I.”
A resident of the area, who gave her name as Mama Nike, said the woman was incoherent and her movement in the area was suspicious. She said: “We kept an eye on her on Sunday when we noticed her movements in the community.
“When we interviewed her, we discovered that she had a troubled home and she is not the only woman married to her husband. She called her husband Baba Segun whereas she said her son’s name is Faruk. But, it is difficult to place her facts because she appears emotionally unstable. Probably, her husband abandoned her to settle down with another woman”.
After being quizzed, Fatima was whisked to Kuola Police Station for investigation. However, investigation by Saturday Tribune revealed that the woman was emotionally unbalanced.
Findings by the police showed that the woman is a resident of Omi Adio in Ibadan. The police also confirmed that the woman has some relatives at Aba Eleshin area of the city. According to the police, facts from her family members showed that she has mental challenges that compounds her situation.
During a telephone interview, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olugbenga Fadeyi SP, said: “I got in touch with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in search of Kuola Police Station on her matter. He said the woman was brought to the station by some people and they discovered that the woman was having partial disorder. They (police) got in touch with the family members and it was confirmed that the woman came from Omi Adio.
“They also contacted her sister that lives at Aba Eleshin, not too far from where she was accosted and brought to the station. In the long run, they said that about eight members of her family came to the station. Their statements were obtained to ascertain that she is a family member. The photographs of the woman and her baby were taken at the station for documentation.
“As we speak, the family members have taken her back to Omi Adio and we hope that settles the matter.”
and then