The Nasarawa State Police Command has rescued a three-day-old baby abducted from a health facility in Lafia. Two suspects were arrested in connection with the incident, according to police spokesperson SP Ramhan Nansel. He disclosed the information in a statement issued on Friday in Lafia. The baby was taken on Sunday, March 29, from the General Hospital Lafia Maternity Ward. Hospital staff reported that an unidentified woman entered the ward and swapped the newborn with a wrapped bundle believed to contain clothing. Police launched immediate investigations, leading to the recovery of the infant and the arrest of the suspects. The motive for the abduction is under investigation. The health facility has increased security since the incident. The baby has been reunited with its mother.
A newborn snatched from a maternity ward exposes how vulnerable public health spaces remain, even in state capitals. The fact that an outsider could enter a hospital, swap a baby, and leave undetected points to severe lapses at General Hospital Lafia. If SP Ramhan Nansel's briefing is any indication, it was luck—not system strength—that led to the infant's recovery. For ordinary Nigerians, this incident confirms that basic safety in public institutions cannot be assumed.
