A missing 3-month-old baby has been found safe after a man’s reported mistress allegedly kidnapped the infant.
Premium Times reports that suspect Temitọpẹ Adeniyi was working as an apprentice tailor for a married couple’s shop in the Oke-Bola area of Ondo State, Nigeria, after she allegedly became involved in an extramarital affair with the husband, identified as Wasiu Mamukuyomi.
Mamukuyomi’s wife, Stella, said she was unaware at the time that her husband was having an affair, although she found his conversations with the new apprentice suspicious after they began texting each other while in the shop together.
“My husband brought the lady to me on December 3, 2020, to train her in tailoring. But I noticed that the lady and my husband usually communicate on the phone whenever we were together in the shop,” Stella said, according to Vanguard.
The three-month-old baby girl of a woman has been allegedly abducted by her apprentice identified as Temitọpẹ Adeniyi…
Posted by NaijaLumia on Tuesday, January 5, 2021
Stella added that her husband told her that Adeniyi was the wife of one of his friends, which turned out to be false.
On January 2, Adeniyi reportedly arrived at the couple’s shop for work. At some point, Adeniyi allegedly fled with the baby and Stella’s ATM card.
“On Saturday, 2nd of January, 2021, the lady came to the shop as usual. After bathing the baby girl that afternoon, she took permission from me to put the baby on her back,” Stella said.
“I later gave her my ATM card to help me withdraw $3,000 that was transferred to my account by a customer at a nearby POS stand. She never returned, as she escaped with the newborn baby and my ATM card.”
Police spokesperson, Leo Tee-Ikoro, reportedly confirmed the incident. Deputies with the Ondo State Police Command found Adeniyi shortly after, hiding out with the baby in Ondo.
Stella added that she tried to contact her husband multiple times after Adeniyi fled, but he reportedly refused to answer her calls.
Authorities later arrested Wasiu Mamukuyomi on suspicion that he may have aided his reported mistress in kidnapping the baby. He allegedly admitted that he was having an affair with Adeniyi but denied knowing his baby was missing.
“The father of the baby is in our custody, while the baby has been recovered from the suspect alive,” Ikoro said.
Motive for Kidnapping
According to Ikoro, Adeniyi, who split up with her own husband months ago, previously told him she was pregnant. Adeniyi reportedly showed up at her estranged husband’s home last week with the baby, claiming she had recently given birth.
The suspect’s husband told police that he became suspicious because the baby looked older than a newborn. He then learned authorities were searching for a missing 3-month-old baby.
Police said the baby was returned safely to her mother.
“There is a limit to how much any criminal can operate in Ondo State and get away with it,” Ondo State police commissioner, Bolaji Salami, said.
“We are investigating the incident and the suspect will be charged to court with the offense of child theft.”
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[Featured Photo: Pixabay]
