The joy of a 22-year-old Happiness Mmadu, knew no bounds when she was delivered of a set of twins at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, Anambra State on January 25, 2019 . However, but for the quick intervention of nurses at the hospital, she would have lost one of the babies to a suspected child trafficker.
It was said that Happiness had no one around her in the hospital to assist her in taking care of the twin babies.
According to Happiness, the suspected child trafficker, Dorothy Sunday, a 35-year-old woman, had approached her in the hospital and offered to assist her with some chores since she had nobody around to assist her.
“Dorothy was at the ward looking after my babies, while I was outside washing my clothes. I was still washing when I was told that Dorothy had put one of the babies in her handbag and was moving out.
“I didn’t know she had such an ulterior motive when she approached me. If I had known, I wouldn’t have taken that risk,” she lamented.
The Nation learnt that the suspected child trafficker, a native of Izzi in Ebonyi State, reportedly gained entrance into the hospital’s maternity ward around 5pm that fateful day, while the mother of the baby was away.
One of the medical personnel in the hospital, who preferred anonymity, told our correspondent, that Dorothy came to the maternity ward penultimate Wednesday, claiming that the 22-year-old woman was her younger sister.
He said luck, however, ran out on her when a nurse moved into the ward to dress the bed where the twins were lying, only to discover that one of the babies was no longer there.
He stated: “The nurse raised the alarm and other nurses at the ward went after Dorothy, who was already approaching the exit gate of the hospital.
“The nurses searched her handbag and discovered that Dorothy hid the baby inside the bag. The baby was taken from her and an angry crowd pounced on her, beat her up and stripped her.
“She (Dorothy) was about being set on fire when policemen from the Central Police Station, Nnewi, arrived at the scene and took her away.”
The medical personnel further revealed that the mother was invited by the police for further interrogations.
“The police also arrested Happiness, the mother of the twins, who said she hails from the Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State,” he said.
But speaking with our correspondent, Dorothy denied the allegation, claiming that Happiness had asked her to come and take the male baby so she can raise money to pay the N200,000 hospital bill.
She said: “My name is Dorothy Sunday from Izzi in Ebonyi State. I am a trader at the Relief Market, Onitsha. Happiness called me and told me that she had been delivered of twins through caesarean section.
“She (Happiness) was billed over N200,000. She told me that she wanted to sell one of the babies to raise money for the hospital bill and also to take care of herself.
“She said her parents were not aware that she was pregnant in the first place. She also said that she had no one to help her.”
A nurse in the hospital said Happiness was delivered of the babies on January 25, and was discharged on Tuesday, January 29, 2019.
The nurse explained that Happiness remained in the hospital till Wednesday when the incident occurred.
Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Anthony Igwuegbe, reportedly requested the police to release the nursing mother so she could take care of her twin babies, who were at the custody of the nurses.
He, however, insisted the principal suspect, Dorothy, remained with the police pending the outcome of their investigation.
Igwuegbe, who visited the suspects at the police station, however, doubted the claims that the mother of the twins actually conspired with the suspect to sell the babies.
He said: “Police investigators are yet to establish whether the mother of the twins actually conspired with the suspect to sell the babies or not.
“The mother of the twins couldn’t have been so keen to raise money for hospital bill when she was not yet ready for discharge from the hospital as was rumoured.”
Igwuegbe said the hospital’s management had increased the number of security officers in the hospital who would be stationed in all the wards.
He added that the hospital was holding security meetings to devise more ways of improving the security of the hospital.
Police spokesman, Haruna Mohammed, who confirmed the incident, said the baby was recovered in good condition.
Mohammed said: “At about 5.50 pm, police detectives attached to the Central Police Station, Nnewi, arrested one Dorothy Sunday, 35 years, from Izzi in Ebonyi State.
“The suspect sneaked into the Nnamdi Azikwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, and stole a five-day-old twin baby boy at the maternity ward of the hospital when the mother of the baby, one Happiness Mmadu, 22 years, from Uruagu, Nnewi, went to the hospital’s compound to wash her clothes.”
Mohammed said the suspect would be charged to court after investigation.
The PPRO also dismissed the claim that the mother of the twins was involved in the baby theft, assuring that it would leave no stone unturned in establishing the facts behind the crime.
Reacting to the development, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders Foundation ( HURIJE), Dede Uzor Uzor, described the incident as unfortunate and regrettable.