The disappearance of a two-month-old infant in Ode-Irele, Irele Local Government Area, Ondo State, has prompted the Ondo Police Command to launch an investigation.
The event occurred in Gbeleju Quarters in Ode-Irele on Monday at about 9:00 p.m., according to information obtained by the Nigerian News Agency.
Reports state that the baby’s mother (name withheld) left the child with its two-year-old brother and hurried to a store next to her house to buy some items.
When the mother came back, the baby was nowhere to be discovered, since the two-year-old sibling was unable to offer vivid description of the newborn.
The mother sounded an alert, which drew locals who gathered to empathise with her. Later, the incident caused stress and concern in the neighbourhood, which led to protests.
Olayinka Ayanlade, the Ondo Police Spokesperson, confirmed the event and informed NAN that investigations are still being conducted to determine the cause of the occurrence.
Ayanlade denied the circulating rumour that the father admitted to selling the child following a thorough inquiry, however she did not provide the identities of the child’s parents.
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“Yes, I can confirm the case of the missing of a two-month-old baby in Ode-Irele, and the police have launched investigation into the matter to unravel circumstances surrounding it.
“I also want to refute the claim that the father of the baby has confessed to selling the baby, we are yet to conclude investigation on this matter and the baby not yet found,” Ayanlade said.
Efforts by NAN to get more information over the matter proved abortive, as the whereabout of the parents were unknown as their house was under lock and key.
