Stolen Baby: Police Declare Hotel Manager Wanted

The police in Lagos have declared a hotel manager, Imole Abiodun, wanted for his alleged involvement in the stealing and selling of a two-year old baby in Ikotun area of Lagos State, western Nigeria.

The police in a statement said Abiodun, the manager of Francis Inn Hotel located at Olu Odunusi Street, off Abiola Adeyemi Street, Ikotun, ran away after the arrest of two women charged with human trafficking.

The manhunt for the hotel manager followed a confessional statement made by a 52-year old Onitsha-based businesswoman, Mrs. Grace Onye, that she used the hotel as a place of operation whenever she came to Lagos to buy babies for sale to those who required them. She identified one Samuel, who is also on the run as her contact person in the illegal business of buying babies, adding that the fleeing hotel manager was also aware of the illegal act.

She said she was introduced to Abiodun by Samuel who brought a stolen two-year old baby to her in the night and collected N300,000.

She was taking the stolen baby to the motor park for the journey to her home in Onitsha when she was apprehended by residents.

Confirming the development, the son of the owner of the hotel who gave his name as Sadiq said Abiodun fled when he learnt that detectives from the SCID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos, visited the hotel to interrogate him over the matter.

Sadiq informed P.M.NEWS further that his father was not aware of the activities of the suspects and had gone to the SCID to clear his name and that of the hotel.

Meanwhile, detectives have intensified efforts to recover all the stolen babies allegedly bought by Onye and sold to unidentified clients.