Delta: Police arrest woman for drugging nursing mother, stealing her baby

Delta State Police Command has arrested a 49-year-old woman, Mrs. Joy Temitope Oyetimi, for drugging her business partner and stealing  her two-month-old baby.

While parading the suspect alongside others in Asaba on Thursday, the Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, disclosed that the incident occurred on February 16, 2025.

Oyetimi had embarked on a business trip from Koko to Warri with a 20-year-old nursing mother.

During the trip, she allegedly drugged the victim using a juice drink.

The young mother reportedly fell asleep instantly, after which the suspect absconded with her baby boy.

CP Abaniwonda revealed that following an intelligence-led investigation, the Divisional Police Officer in Ekpan tracked and apprehended the suspect.

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During interrogation, Oyetimi confessed to stealing the baby.

The baby, now five months old, has been rescued and reunited with his parents.

The suspect remains in custody as investigations continue.

In another operation, police recovered N3.1 million from four male suspects along the Ughelli–Asaba expressway on Monday after intercepting their vehicle.

The suspects — Abubakar Alwalu (25), Usman Husseini (25), Adamu Mohammed (30), and Anwalu Umaru (23) — were arrested by operatives of the Dragon Patrol Team during a stop-and-search exercise on Kwale/Ozoro express road.

“On 12/5/2025 at about 09:30hrs, operatives intercepted a gold Toyota Sienna bus with passengers from Ughelli en route Asaba. A total of N3.1 million was recovered from four suspects,” CP Abaniwonda said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspects belong to a gang of five alleged to have kidnapped a woman in Ughelli, held her captive for four days, and collected N4 million in ransom. The victim has since identified the suspects.

On May 10, police operatives also arrested a 22-year-old suspected kidnapper and gang leader, Abdullahi Ibrahim, from Ekenwa community in Ovia North-East LGA of Edo State. He was apprehended in Ore, Ondo State.

According to the Commissioner, Ibrahim led operatives to arrest another gang member, Adamu Usman, 24, a native of Abeokuta, who was also hiding in Ore.

“Upon interrogation, the suspects took operatives to a forest along the Ore-Lagos expressway, near an area called ‘Stepdown,’ where one AK-47 rifle loaded with 14 rounds of live ammunition and a locally made long gun with six rounds of live cartridges were recovered,” Abaniwonda stated.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE