When the news of her arrest at Sango-Otta in Ogun State broke on 29th July 2022 over a case of theft of a week-old-baby boy, not a few condemned her action, even as many more called for justice. Although not expressed, many of the commentators believed her action may have a spiritual undertone.
However, facts are beginning to emerge as to what precipitated her action, how it was carried out and who the biological mother of the innocent baby is.
The 52-year-old Chinyere Nwosu, currently in police detention, investigation has revealed, was overwhelmed by the desperation to have a baby (of her own) but was naive not to have went about it legally.
Having lost her 16-year-old only child to the cold hands of death, Chinyere felt she could no longer find joy and, perhaps, thought she was living in the abstract without a child to be identified with her.
It probably did not occur to her to approach a motherless baby home and adopt a child.
Meanwhile, in the Oke-Koto area of Agege, Lagos, where she lived, are lots of street girls who earn their livings from prostitution. One such girl was Precious.
Beyond Precious’ expectations, she got pregnant and tried effortlessly to get rid of it. The “stubborn child” refused to yield to several attempts made at crushing him. Precious’ predicament was exacerbated by the fact that no “customer” was willing to come near her, no thanks to the growing fetus which became pronounced by the day.
Precious, it was gathered, resigned to fate and began to count in weeks when she would be delivered of the unwanted baby, and had made up her mind not to spare it a minute after delivery.
Apparently, she confided in one Ngozi Akaeme, a female, who, putting herself in Chinyere’s shoes magnified God for the ways He does His things. Ngozi may have probably soliloquised that, “what some people cry day and night to God to grant unto them, He gave unto someone that does not value it, so much so that it amounted to ill-luck to her”.
Ngozi consequently informed Chinyere of Precious’ predicament and suggested they meet with her (Precious), to strike a bargain.
It was considered a pleasant arrangement that Chinyere should take care of Precious while pregnant so that, on delivery, the baby would be given to her, rather than throwing it into a dump site to die as Precious had earlier planned.
Chinyere’s hope of having a baby of hers, at least, was rekindled and she did everything within her capabilities to see to Precious’ safe delivery.
However, on delivery, Precious insisted on her stand that she was not interested in the baby, but added a clause to their initial agreement. She now asked to be paid N500,000.00 before she would release the baby to Chinyere.
With the mindset that it was probably her last opportunity to be called a Mum again, Chinyere rallied around and sought the whopping sum, which she handed over to Precious, unknown to her that she was caving a path for bigger future trouble for herself.
Eventually, Chinyere was arrested at Sango-Otta when the baby was crying and she could not breastfeed him as expected of the mother she claimed to be. This aroused suspicion from people who later raised the alarm. She was subsequently arrested.
On interrogation, Chinyere confessed the involvement of Ngozi, who was also arrested.
Detectives, accompanied by the two suspects,
were to later combed the entire Agege in search of the biological mother of the baby boy to no avail.
She was said to have left the area since she became pregnant.
Both Chinyere and Ngozi have, however, been held by the Ogun State Police Command over alleged child theft.