By Chiemelie Ezeobi in Lagos and Ademola Babalola in Ibadan
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested a couple, one Saheed Akinwale and Hajia Zainab Salisu, who abducted two kids, 12-months-old Feyitola Lawal and seven-months-old Philip Salisu.
Despite the fact that they were in a relationship but not yet married, Zainab had convinced Saheed that she was pregnant for him and needed money to travel to the United States to deliver the baby.
After collecting N250, 000 from him, she disappeared only to appear months later with two babies, whom she claimed were their babies.
However, it was later discovered that she stole the baby from two different families, and passed them off as twins to families and friends.
While she renamed Feyitola as Kehinde, she gave Philip the name Taiwo, and she remained under that cover till she was arrested by the police and the real parents of Feyitola were notified.
Unknown to her, the police were tracking her using the Close Circuit Television (CCTV) of Justrite Stores, where she was last seen in the company of Mrs. Lawal and her baby, Feyitola.
The suspect, Salisu, said, “I did not steal the baby. Feyisola’s mother is my friend. I went to their house on May 14 and when she left to get something, I carried her baby and left.
“Since I switched off that sim card, they couldn’t reach me. The other baby (Philip whom she had baptised as Taiwo) belongs to my uncle.
“The wife died and he wanted to give away the baby and I told him to give him to me so that I can raise him as my own. I was arrested when the police picked Saheed.”
Also speaking, Akinwale said:“I met her last year. After she told me that she was pregnant for me and that she wants to travel to the United States to give birth. I gave her N250, 000.
“Sometime in October, she called me that she was back and that she had delivered a set of twins for me. She told me she landed in Abuja and that she would bring them to Lagos to see me.
“Although I am married with kids, I kept Zainab as my other family. I never knew they were not our kids until the police arrested us yesterday.”
Speaking with THISDAY after her daughter, Feyitonla, was reunited with the family, Mrs. Damilola Lawal debunked claims that she was a friends of the suspect.
She said, “I don’t know her from anywhere, rather she came to my shop claiming to be a supplier of eggs and would love to supply us with some. I agreed.
“Later, she claimed she was new in the area and thus needed a new place of worship and my mother-in-law took her to our church (Christ Apostolic Church).
“After service she followed us home to use the convenience. She later stayed for lunch and then she said she wanted to buy some souvenoirs.
“I took her to Justrite Stores at Agege but she ended up not buying. When we were leaving, she offered to assist in carrying my daughter. We boarded a bus and got to Abule Egba.
“We entered a bike and when we got to out bus stop, her bike carried her down further. By the time I walked down to that place she had disappeared.”
Speaking to THISDAY, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent of Police, said the arrest was based solely on intelligence-driven investigation.
In a related development, the Oyo State Police Command has arrested a 70-year-old man, Akinlolu Ogunlade, for allegedly kidnapping and turning an eight-year-old girl to a sex slave.
The police spokesman SP Kunle Ajisebutu who confirmed the story, said investigation had commenced on the matter.
THISDAY gathered that the incident happened at Abidi Odan area of Akobo in Ibadan.
The victim, while explaining her ordeal in the hand of the 70-year-old man, said she was kidnapped by the septuagenarian when she was coming from a vigil about three weeks back.
She stated that the man harboured her in his place of work and daily defiled her.
The little girl, who is a primary two pupil in one of the government- owned school, added that the man was the first person to have carnal knowledge of her.
Mother of the victim, Mrs. Modinat Oladejo, explained that she had taken several measures to search for her daughter without any result.
The girl’s grandmother, Mrs. Falilat Oladejo, who also joined in the search team, noted that the young girl was not wayward in any way.
Reacting, the suspect, Akinlolu Ogunlade, an indigene of Akure, Ondo State initially denied having sex with the minor but later explained that he was not the first man to sleep with her and that he only harboured her 21days when she said her parents had travelled.
Speaking on the development, a former Chief Judge of the state, Mrs Badejoko Adeniji, who is also an expert in child protection, explaine
