HOSPITAL WORKERS AND PATIENTS FOIL ATTEMPTED THEFT OF NEWBORN BABY AT LAGOS HEALTHCARE FACILITY

Quick intervention by alert clinical staff and observant patients leads to the apprehension of a female suspect attempting to spirit a day-old infant out of the maternity ward

Alert healthcare workers and vigilant patients successfully foiled an attempt to steal a newborn baby at a public hospital in Lagos State, preventing what could have been a tragic abduction.

The incident unfolded in the post-natal unit of the health facility when a female suspect, posing as a visiting relative, gained unauthorized access to the ward while mothers were resting.

Sensing suspicious behavior, an attentive nursing officer and a patient in an adjacent bed raised an alarm after observing the intruder wrapping the day-old infant in a shawl and attempting to exit through a restricted service door.

Hospital security personnel and staff acted swiftly to lock down the exit gates, apprehending the suspect at the main entrance before she could blend into the crowded outpatient lobby.

The suspect was immediately handed over to officers of the Lagos State Police Command, who arrived at the facility to take her into custody and commence preliminary interrogations.

Hospital authorities confirmed that the infant was safely reunited with his mother in good health, adding that security protocols, visitor screening, and access controls across all wards have been immediately reinforced.