Lagos CP, Yakubu AlkaliPolicemen at the Lagos State Criminal Investigation Department, Musiliu Smith Street, Yaba, are investigating a teenage mother, Blessing Ukie, for allegedly killing her newborn baby.
PUNCH METRO gathered that Blessing, a native of Mbaise in Imo State and an orphan, came to Lagos shortly after her father’s burial to work as a housemaid. She has no formal education. When she arrived in Lagos, she stayed with her friend at the Oshodi area of the state and later met a young man, Emmanuel Ukie. They both started dating.
Blessing, 18, told PUNCH METRO that when her guardians discovered that she was pregnant, they sent her out of the house and asked her to move in with the man who impregnated her. She moved to Emmanuel’s apartment at 9, Majore Street, Mafoluku in Oshodi. But both could barely make ends meet.
On the day that Blessing was in labour, Emmanuel took her to Ayo Radex Hospital and Maternity within the neighbourhood. After two days in labour, it was learnt that Emmanuel and Blessing consented to doctor’s advice that the baby should be delivered through Caesarean section. The baby was delivered and named Favour. After Blessing was discharged from the hospital, she was given a bill of N100,000 but her partner could only raise N29,000. Our correspondent learnt from an employee of the hospital, who wanted to remain anonymous because she was not authorised to speak on the matter, that the management later offered her a job in the hospital as a cleaner when it found out that neither Blessing nor her partner had any means of livelihood. Blessing commenced duty at the hospital on Monday, May 6 this year, and she was given an accommodation on the same premises. But Blessing said on Saturday, August 20, she became tired of her life and opted for suicide. She said while Favour was sleeping, she drank a bottle of petrol and sat on the bed waiting for death to come.
“While my baby was sleeping, I drank a bottle of petrol on that day because I wanted to kill myself. I then sat on the bed waiting for death to come. It was when I was waiting that my baby woke up and started crying because she was hungry. It was then that I breastfed her, not knowing that she would die,” she said.
A day after Favour had died, Blessing sneaked out of the hospital and left her daughter’s corpse in the room. Out of curiosity, a nurse went to Blessing’s apartment to find out why she did not report for work. But the nurse only met Favour’s corpse and subsequently raised the alarm, which attracted other workers. The matter was reported at the Akinpelu Police Station in Oshodi, Lagos. The hospital’s Matron, Habibat Sanusi, who according to Blessing, was absent when the crime was committed, was promptly arrested and detained at the police station for interrogation. On Tuesday, August 23, Blessing was apprehended at a nearby brothel close to the hospital and was handed over to the police. The case was transferred to SCID on Thursday, 23 August for further investigation. A police source, who wanted to remain anonymous because he was not the spokesman of the police command, said Emmanuel was invited to Akinpelu Police Station but did not honour the invitation. The source added that Blessing might be charged to court for infanticide after investigation.
Efforts to get the response of the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, proved abortive as he did not pick his call. Also, a text message sent to his line was not responded to as at press time.
Source: PUNCH METRO
Blessing, 18, told PUNCH METRO that when her guardians discovered that she was pregnant, they sent her out of the house and asked her to move in with the man who impregnated her. She moved to Emmanuel’s apartment at 9, Majore Street, Mafoluku in Oshodi. But both could barely make ends meet.
On the day that Blessing was in labour, Emmanuel took her to Ayo Radex Hospital and Maternity within the neighbourhood. After two days in labour, it was learnt that Emmanuel and Blessing consented to doctor’s advice that the baby should be delivered through Caesarean section. The baby was delivered and named Favour. After Blessing was discharged from the hospital, she was given a bill of N100,000 but her partner could only raise N29,000. Our correspondent learnt from an employee of the hospital, who wanted to remain anonymous because she was not authorised to speak on the matter, that the management later offered her a job in the hospital as a cleaner when it found out that neither Blessing nor her partner had any means of livelihood. Blessing commenced duty at the hospital on Monday, May 6 this year, and she was given an accommodation on the same premises. But Blessing said on Saturday, August 20, she became tired of her life and opted for suicide. She said while Favour was sleeping, she drank a bottle of petrol and sat on the bed waiting for death to come.
“While my baby was sleeping, I drank a bottle of petrol on that day because I wanted to kill myself. I then sat on the bed waiting for death to come. It was when I was waiting that my baby woke up and started crying because she was hungry. It was then that I breastfed her, not knowing that she would die,” she said.
A day after Favour had died, Blessing sneaked out of the hospital and left her daughter’s corpse in the room. Out of curiosity, a nurse went to Blessing’s apartment to find out why she did not report for work. But the nurse only met Favour’s corpse and subsequently raised the alarm, which attracted other workers. The matter was reported at the Akinpelu Police Station in Oshodi, Lagos. The hospital’s Matron, Habibat Sanusi, who according to Blessing, was absent when the crime was committed, was promptly arrested and detained at the police station for interrogation. On Tuesday, August 23, Blessing was apprehended at a nearby brothel close to the hospital and was handed over to the police. The case was transferred to SCID on Thursday, 23 August for further investigation. A police source, who wanted to remain anonymous because he was not the spokesman of the police command, said Emmanuel was invited to Akinpelu Police Station but did not honour the invitation. The source added that Blessing might be charged to court for infanticide after investigation.
Efforts to get the response of the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Samuel Jinadu, proved abortive as he did not pick his call. Also, a text message sent to his line was not responded to as at press time.
Source: PUNCH METRO
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