By Prosper Mene
A Chief Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti has ordered the remand of 34-year-old Deborah Ayeni at a correctional facility for allegedly stealing a day-old baby from the Okeiyinmi Primary Health Centre.
The incident occurred on Monday, August 4, 2025, and has stirred widespread outrage and concerns about security in healthcare facilities across the state. According to police reports, Deborah was arrested on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at her residence along Afao Road following a tip-off.
The suspect confessed to the crime, revealing she stole the newborn to deceive her UK-based boyfriend, whom she had falsely told she was pregnant to extort money. To gain access to the maternity ward, Deborah disguised herself as an expectant mother by padding her stomach with clothes.“I planned the act because I had been lying to my boyfriend about being pregnant,” Deborah admitted during a police parade, as reported by the Ekiti State Police Command. “When he said he was coming to visit, I needed to convince him I had given birth.”
She further explained that she targeted the baby after befriending the mother, a Northerner, using her ability to speak Hausa to gain the family’s trust. On Sunday night, the baby’s father asked Deborah to watch over his wife and newborn. Seizing the opportunity early Monday morning around 5 a.m., when the mother was asleep and no nurses were present, Deborah fled with the infant.
The Ekiti State Police Commissioner, Joseph Eribo, credited the arrest to swift intelligence gathering and public cooperation. A polythene bag containing a supermarket receipt for baby items, left behind by the suspect, led police to obtain CCTV footage from the store, which revealed her identity. A citizen’s tip-off about a woman who was not pregnant but suddenly had a newborn further aided the investigation. “This arrest shows the importance of community vigilance,” Eribo said, urging residents to report suspicious activities promptly.The stolen baby was recovered and reunited with its parents, bringing relief to the family and the Okeiyinmi health centre, which had been thrown into chaos after the infant was reported missing less than 20 hours after birth.
Ayeni remains in custody pending further legal proceedings, with the court yet to announce a date for her next hearing. The case continues to draw attention as authorities emphasize the need for heightened awareness to prevent similar incidents.
