A woman simply identified as Patience who was arrested for abducting her neighbour’s 10-month-old baby for over a month has explained she did so because she loves the child so much.

It was gathered that the suspect who lives in the same compound with the baby’s parents in Jos, Plateau State, abducted the toddler and escaped to the Ikorodu area of Lagos State.

Police who have been on the suspect’s trail since the incident was reported, arrested her at a car park in Jos as she returned to the state, recovered the baby and reunited her with her parents.

Despite being paraded alongside 25 other suspects arrested for various offences such as culpable homicide, defilement, criminal conspiracy, rape, receiving of stolen property, armed robbery, vandalism, possession of illicit drugs among others, the suspect denied being arrested but claims she turned herself in when she realized abducting the baby was wrong.

Explaining that the mother of the baby is not just a neighbour but also a friend.

The suspect said:

“I had no bad intention when I left with the baby, the mother of the baby is my friend and I love the baby so much. I did not tell the mother because I knew she would not agree so I had to go with the baby.

“While in Lagos, I was always calling, chatting or doing video calls with the mother showing her how the baby was doing but because it was circulated on social media that I stole the baby, I had to go to the police in Lagos, they directed me on what to do so when I arrived Jos, the Police here picked me up at the park. I came back on my own, I was not arrested.”

The mother of the baby, who was happy to be reunited with her baby while speaking on the incident at the state Police Headquarters said:

“We are living in the same compound and working in the same shop. She has been playing with the baby but the day she left with her, she did not inform me.

“When I insisted she return my baby, she said she just loved to stay with the baby. She took care of the baby but I did not permit her to go with her and I am happy to have my baby back.”

CP Julius Okoro, the state Commissioner of Police while speaking during the pararde of the suspects thanked the residents of the state, for their cooperation in the fight against crime.

He said: “We would not have achieved such tremendous successes without the cooperation and intelligence we have been receiving from the good and peace-loving citizens of Plateau State. For this, we are grateful.

“We have put in place a series of strategies to prevent crime and ensure the security of all lives and properties within the State. One of such measures is the intensification of efforts toward ensuring the arrest and due prosecution of criminals.”