The woman pictured above, Jumoke Adesida, has told detectives attached to the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja that she abducted a two-year-old girl to replace the daughter her former husband took away from her.
Adesida explained that sometimes ago, she went to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Camp where she went to pray over an illness affecting her.
She said that by the time she returned, she discovered that her former husband and his family members had taken her daughter away. According to her, since her daughter was taken away, she had been lonely and desperately needed someone to keep her company, which was why she abducted a little girl at Odokerere area of Ikorodu, Lagos State.
She said: “When I saw the little girl, Roqibat, I moved closed to her and asked her to follow me. When I was taking her, nobody stopped me. I took the girl away and started feeding her with rice and noodles. She spent three days with me. I abducted the girl because of the trauma I was going through.
“I needed someone to keep me company after my husband took my baby away. They took her from me, saying I might infect her with my illness. I’m always happy seeing a baby beside me.”
Recalling how she was arrested, Adesida said: “I was going to buy what the baby and I would eat when someone sighted us and immediately alerted the parents of the baby. They came and took her.”
The victim’s mother, Mrs. Aminat Abidoye, said: “My daughter was abducted on June 25, in my shop when I stepped out to buy eggs. I left my baby with someone in my shop.
“Unfortunately, the person fell asleep. It was at that point that the woman went into the shop and abducted my baby.”
New Telegraph reports that Abidoye said since the abduction of her baby, they had been frantically searching for the baby, with friends and others assisting her. She added that the matter was later reported at Sagamu Police Station.
The happy mother recounted: “Even after reporting the matter at the station, we went to the Baale’s place to report the matter. On Sunday, someone called my husband on the phone that they saw my daughter with someone at Odogunyan area. We rushed to the area; when my daughter sighted me, she started screaming.
“When I approached the woman, she claimed my daughter was hers. “I told the woman that the cloth my daughter was wearing was one of those I bought for her.
“Incidentally, the wig and shoes she wore on the day she was abducted, was what she wore on the day I met the woman. I brought out my phone and showed her pictures of my daughter.” Abidoye said that in the course of the explanations and arguments, a crowd gathered.
“Even after showing her evidences to prove that the little girl was hers, Adesida allegedly refused to release the baby. This attitude infuriated the crowd and they soon pounced on her.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, said: “On June 22, Aminat Abidoye of No. 12, Kassim Adeboye Street, Jerry Farm, Odongunyan, Ikorodu, reported to the police that her two-year-old daughter was missing.”
