Snatched at Birth: Gunmen Kidnap Newborn Baby from Hospital in Abia Few Minutes after Delivery

The joy of conception and child birth is one almost every woman looks forward to. The mother in this story must have felt an immeasurable level of joy when she conceived a child, but now, it’s hard to imagine the sort of emotions that must be running through her after this sad occurrence.

Sun News reported earlier today that a new born baby was snatched by gunmen at a maternity home in Nkwoegwu, Ohuhu, in Umuahia North LGA of Abia State just a few minutes after delivery. The sad incident occurred while nurses were battling to save the mother from bleeding to death.

The mother, Eberechi Ihezukwu has three girls. This baby is her first son.

 Here are some excerpts of the account of the father of the baby,  Clifford Ihezukwu.

“On Tuesday, November 13, 2012, at about 2pm, my wife who was already heavy with a baby told me she was going to hospital (Our Lady of Apostles, Nkwoegwu, Ohuhu, Umuahia North LGA of Abia State) where she normally puts to bed. Later, she phoned me, seeking for my consent as the nurses wanted to give her hot drip to help her deliver of the baby since during her three previous pregnancies, there was no time she was given such hot drip before she put to bed. Instantly, I gave my consent if that would be the solution to the problem.

I learnt that the drip was at about 6pm. By 7pm, I went there to see her since it is within a short distance from my home. When I got to the maternity, I saw my wife’s sister rejoicing; she told me that my wife had just put to bed. I thanked God and told her to take charge while I went back to check what I was cooking. I was there when she rushed back to the house and was shouting: “My stomach! My stomach!” I asked her what was amiss and she told me that gunmen invaded the maternity, kicked her in the stomach after overpowering the security man and collected everybody’s cell phones, including that of my wife who was still inside the labour room where the nurses were battling to stop the bleeding after the delivery.

They dashed into the labour room, grabbed the baby who was still dripping with blood and dashed off. My wife was not yet conscious of what was going on as she battled for survival after the nurses had administered her with some injection to stop the bleeding. So, I rushed to the maternity. When I got there, the whole place was locked; I went round knocking at the windows until someone opened. When they narrated how gunmen carried out their operation and took my baby away, I took my wife and went straight home.

Despite the fact that he was the victim in the case, he said he was locked up in a police cell when he went to report the case. He told Sun News that while narrating the incidence to the  Divisional Police Officer (DPO), he was ordered to be kept behind the counter. Later on, he was taken to the  State CID headquarters where he was told that it was too late for him to be released and was locked up till the next day. He was released only after parting with some money to the police.

Our hearts go out to the parents and family of this baby at this difficult time and we pray that he is found safe  and returned home soon. We join our faith with that of the mother of the baby who hasn’t had the chance to hold her son. “My breasts are heavy with milk; it is a burden I have refused to bear. They should please bring back my baby to suck my breasts. I refuse to believe that my baby has gone; the God who put it in my womb for nine months before its delivery will fish out the perpetrators and my baby will be brought back to me.”