The Benue State Police Command has rescued a newborn baby allegedly stolen shortly after delivery at a healthcare facility in Gboko and arrested 11 suspects in connection with the incident.
According to the State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Peter Aondongu, who disclosed this on Thursday, the baby was recovered from the custody of the alleged principal suspect and safely reunited with the mother.
Aondongu said the incident was reported to the Command on August 12, 2026, after Aondofa Chia reported that his wife’s newborn baby had gone missing shortly after delivery at a healthcare facility in Gboko.
The police operatives immediately commenced investigation, leading to the arrest of nine suspects who were taken into custody to assist investigators in unraveling the circumstances surrounding the baby’s disappearance.
He said further investigation resulted in the arrest of two additional suspects at about 10pm the same day, bringing the number of suspects in custody to 11.
The PPRO identified the alleged principal suspect as 35-year-old Mrs Nguhemen Asugh, from whose custody the stolen newborn was recovered.
“The stolen newborn baby was subsequently rescued from her custody and safely reunited with the mother,” Aondongu said.
He added that investigation was ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the roles and culpability of each suspect.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Cletus Nwadiogbu, commended the operatives for their swift response and professional handling of the case, assuring residents of the Command’s commitment to protecting lives and property.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities to the police.
The Command also called on members of the public with credible information on criminal activities to report to the nearest police station or contact its emergency lines on 08066006475 and 07067374913.
