The Plateau State police command has detained one Mrs Leritshimwa Diyal for questioning in connection with the missing female child that was allegedly stolen at Plateau Specialist hospital Jos.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Matthias Tyopev in a press statement on Friday said Mrs Diyal, claimed that she was kidnapped and gave birth to a baby girl at the kidnappers camp on May 31, 2019.

He noted that a case of child thief was reported to the police command on the May 31, 2019, by the Chief Security Officer of Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos, Mr. Nanpan Gumut.

Tyopev said after receiving the complaint, the police mobilised to the scene of the crime and met the mother of the baby, Mary Chukwuebuka of Zaramaganda in Jos South Local Government Area of the state.

The police spokesman informed that the woman whose child was allegedly stolen volunteered her statement, saying that she gave birth at the Plateau Specialist Hospital on 28/05/2019 at about 18:15 hours. He said that the police commenced investigation that led to the discovery of Leritshimwa with a baby girl.

“The case of child stealing was reported at ‘A’ Divisional Police Headquarters, Jos, on 31/05/19 by one Nanpan S. D Gumut ‘m’, the Chief Security Officer of Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos.

“The police, after receiving the complaint, immediately mobilised to the scene of crime. On arrival, Mrs. Mary Chukwuebuka ‘f’ of Zarmaganda in Jos South, the woman whose child was allegedly stolen, volunteered her statement that she gave birth at the Plateau Specialist Hospital on 28/05/2019 at about 18;15 hours.

“She further narrated that on the 31/05/2019, a woman disguised as a medical personnel and approached her to hand over her baby for medical examination and she innocently obliged without questioning and follow up.

“She went further that she waited for the impostor for about an hour before she raised the alarm to alert the nurses on duty.

She stated that the sex of her child is female.

“The detectives also asked the husband for his view and he narrated the same story as the wife did. The nurses who were on duty were also questioned.

“While investigation was ongoing, the police got intelligence that a woman by the name Leritshimwa Diyal ‘f’ of Zawan in Jos South LGA who claimed to have given birth on the same 31/05/19 while in the kidnappers camp, brought a female child to Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos for medical examination.”

Tyopev said the police immediately wrote to the hospital on 03/05/19 for the hospital to examine her as to whether she gave birth naturally within the period she so claimed.

He said the police also wrote to Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) on 03/06/19 where she claimed she attended ante-natal care so as to confirm her claim or otherwise.

He said the police command is still waiting for the reply from the above named hospitals to go further on their investigation.

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Plateau police interrogate woman (Mrs Diyal) for alleged child theft