5th February, 2016
A serving Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa, Dr Wisdom Sawyer, has been arrested by the Police over alleged attempt to sell a newborn baby.
The permanent secretary, who is also a medical practitioner and owner of Survival Hospital at Igbogene community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa, was arrested on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the arrest was sequel to a complaint from the mother of the newborn baby.
It was gathered that Ms Nnenna Lawrence, the 24-year old mother of the newborn baby, had gone to the hospital at eight months into her pregnancy and requested for an abortion.
The doctor reportedly declined to perform the abortion due to the high risk; but was alleged to have offered to buy the baby if delivered with an offer of N200,000 for a female, and N250,000 for a male.
NAN sources at the Bayelsa Police Command familiar with the case, said that the doctor gave the expectant mother N27,000 as a commitment.
When the expectant mother delivered a baby boy, she reportedly changed her mind and reneged to sell the baby as agreed.
She reportedly filed a complaint at the Igbogene Division of the Police after the hospital refuses to release the newborn baby to her.
Mr Asinim Butswat, spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, confirmed the development and said that investigation is ongoing.
“On Thursday, at about 1000hrs, one Nnenna Florence ‘f’ of Igbogene community reported to the Police, that she delivered a baby on Feb. 3, 2016, at Survival Hospital, Igbogene, Yenagoa.
“She stated that prior to the delivery, she had arranged with the doctor and the nurse of the hospital to sell the baby to one woman now at large, at the sum N200,000.
“But upon delivery of the baby, she changed her mind and refused to sell the baby as agreed,” Butswat said.
The police spokesman said that the doctor and the nurse were undergoing interrogation at Igbogene Police Station.