Native Doctor Arrested For Selling Week Old Baby To Couple For N300k (Photo)

Lagos state police arrested a traditional medical doctor named Olawale Onalaja for allegedly selling a week old baby to a couple for N300,000 in the Iyana Ipaja area of Lagos. Dele and Oluwakemi Ayangbile, who had also been arrested by the police, allegedly paid the sum to the native doctor before taking the baby to their apartment in the Mile 12 area.

The mother of the baby, 29-year-old Idiat Babatunde, was a student of a polytechnic in Osun State, and was preparing for her convocation when she was delivered of the baby on Saturday, September 5.

It was gathered that after the delivery, Idiat, who had a quarrel with her husband, Akinola Babatunde, had taken the baby to Onalaja, said to be a family friend, on September 13, and requested that he kept the child for her, while she travelled to school.

Onalaja, who lived in Ikola Odunsi Street in Iyana Ipaja, however, invited the Ayangbiles and sold the baby to them for N300,000. It was learnt that when Idiat returned from school, Onalaja lied that the baby was in custody of a government-owned orphanage where he would be properly taken care of.

Oluwakemi, said she had been barren since 2009 when she got married, adding that Onalaja, who was a family friend, had earlier advised her to adopt a child.

“I have known the traditional doctor since 2013. I got married in 2009 and I used to have miscarriages. It was while looking for treatment that I met him. In 2014, he advised that I should adopt a baby, but I did not agree. 

Two Mondays ago, he called me on the telephone and said I should meet him. He told me that he had a baby at hand to give us, adding that he would obtain all the necessary papers. I then discussed it with my husband and he said we should go for the baby since Onalaja was going to get the papers. He did not tell us that the baby’s mother was not aware of the transaction. 

I paid him N300,000, and brought the baby home. But after three days, the police came to arrest my husband and I. We have been barren for six years, and we need a child. We mean no harm to the baby.”