Baby snatched near Lagos daycare, rescued after chase
There was panic in Ipaja, Lagos, yesterday, after a five-month-old baby girl, Oluwadarasimi Odunuga, was allegedly snatched from her mother by suspected abductors shortly after they left the premises of
There was panic in Ipaja, Lagos, yesterday, after a five-month-old baby girl, Oluwadarasimi Odunuga, was allegedly snatched from her mother by suspected abductors shortly after they left the premises of Happy Faces Child Care Centre.
The baby was, however, rescued moments later following a dramatic pursuit by bystanders and commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada riders, who chased the fleeing suspects to Ipaja Junction, where heavy traffic forced their vehicle to a halt.
The child’s mother, Mrs. Opeyemi Odunuga, was said to have been attacked just as she stepped out of the gate of the popular childcare centre with her baby in her arms. Witnesses said the assailants accosted her, immobilized her and forcibly yanked the infant away before speeding off in a waiting vehicle.
Her screams reportedly drew the attention of passers-by, traders and commercial motorcyclists in the area, who immediately mobilised and went after the fleeing vehicle.
According to eyewitnesses, the chase ended at Ipaja Junction, where traffic congestion slowed the suspects’ escape and enabled the pursuers to surround the vehicle. In the ensuing commotion, the baby was recovered alive, while the suspects were held by an angry crowd until policemen arrived and took them into custody.
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When The Nation visited the area not long after the incident, sympathisers and residents were seen gathered in large numbers, discussing the development and consoling family members and neighbours still shaken by the incident.
It was learnt that the baby had already been taken away from the scene, reportedly for urgent medical attention, before the arrival of the reporter.
The child’s father, Mr. Adeyanju Odunuga, arrived at the location shortly after the incident and spoke with visible distress over what he described as a prolonged ordeal faced by his family.
He alleged that he and his wife had for some time been under severe pressure from their traditional authority to surrender their daughter for female circumcision, a demand they had consistently resisted.
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Mr. Odunuga said the family’s refusal had allegedly exposed them to persistent harassment, intimidation and threats, forcing them to keep the child away from public attention as much as possible.
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According to him, the family was shocked that those after the child were allegedly able to trace the exact location where the mother had taken her for daycare.
He appealed passionately to security agencies to intervene and provide protection for the family, insisting that the threat against their daughter should not be dismissed as an ordinary domestic disagreement.
“This is not a family matter,” he said. “Our daughter is only five months old. We have been under pressure and harassment because we refused to allow her to be subjected to circumcision. Now they have gone as far as trying to take her away. We are begging the authorities to help us.”
A family source, who pleaded for anonymity, also claimed that the couple had been facing serious pressure from the traditional authority connected to the father’s area and expressed worry over what she described as an attempt to inflict pain and hardship on an innocent child.
The source said the development had left the family traumatised and fearful for the safety of the infant.
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When contacted on the telephone, Lagos Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident but said she had yet to receive full details of the matter. She promised that the command would provide further information after being properly briefed.
Thursday’s incident has since sparked concern among residents in the area, many of whom described the attempted abduction as disturbing and called for a thorough investigation.
For the Odunuga family, however, the drama may have ended in relief, but not without deepening fears over the safety of their daughter and the urgent need for protection from those they believe remain determined to harm her.