Suspected ritualists kidnap 13-day-old baby in Ondo

A 13-day-old baby was on Wednesday evening forcefully seized by some gunmen suspected to be ritualists in Uro quarters in Ajowa Akoko, in Akoko North West Local Government Area of Ondo state.

It was gathered that two masked men invaded the home of the mother of the baby in the middle of the night and took away the little baby beside her mother who was said to be sleeping.

According to a source, the hoodlums met an old woman at the passage of the house after kidnapping the baby but the septuagenarian was said to have been matchetted by the two men before leaving the place.

He, however, said that the residents raised the alarm after the men had bolted into the bush while a search party was organised by the people of the community.

He said “we have combed all the bush and forest within and outside the town but cannot find the baby or the hoodlums. This is strange and the incident had been reported at the police station.

ALSO READ: NURTW boss escapes robbery attack in Ibadan 

He noted that the there was a cold war between the mother of the baby and her husband but said no one could fathom the reason behind the kidnap of a 13-day-old baby.

The source said that the monarch of the community was not around but the incident was reported to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Okeagbe, SP Adetaranmi Ibitayo, who confirmed the incident.

The DPO was said to have visited the scene of the incident while he deployed men of the police command from the area to commence investigation into the incident.

The State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Mr Femi Joseph, also confirmed the incident and explained that the hoodlums gained entrance into the building through the back door around 1am.

He also confirmed that the father of the abducted baby and the mother are living separately.

Joseph, however, said police from the command had commenced investigation while detectives have been on the trail of the criminals to rescue the young baby from their captives.