Residents of the Lamashegu community are in shock following the alleged theft of a newborn from One Heart Clinic, a private health facility in the area.
The incident, which occurred shortly after the baby’s delivery, has drawn numerous residents to the clinic, raising tensions as the family and community demand answers.
According to eyewitnesses, an unidentified woman entered the delivery room under the pretext of taking the newborn for routine vital checks. She reportedly left with the baby and did not return, prompting alarm among hospital staff and relatives.
The baby’s father, Baba Shaibu, described the ordeal as traumatic in an interview with JoyNews. “Around 1:15, I received a call informing me about my wife’s delivery. I have two wives, and my youngest wife works at the hospital. That morning, I told her that her sister had given birth to a baby boy. She went to the hospital and later returned with receipts for medicines and injections I needed to buy for the baby before discharge,” he recounted.
Shaibu explained that after purchasing the required medicines, he returned home, only to receive a distressing call hours later. “Around 10 o’clock, I was sitting with my colleagues when my sister called me, asking me to rush to the hospital. When I arrived, I was told that somebody had stolen the baby,” he said.
The family has reported the incident to the police. The alleged theft has sparked outrage in the community, with residents demanding that the clinic take responsibility for the missing child.
Police officers have visited the facility in an effort to calm residents. As of now, the authorities have not released an official statement regarding the incident or the status of the investigation.
