Buhari condemns alleged abduction of babies in Anambra — but police say ‘no such report’

President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the alleged abduction of babies from a hospital in Anambra state.

However, the Anambra police command and the state government said such an incident did not happen in the state.

BACKGROUND

On Thursday, there were claims that  babies — some reports had four while others had five — were kidnapped from a hospital in Aguata LGA of Anambra.

Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, hails from Aguata LGA.

The reports stated that the abduction happened on Tuesday night.

But when TheCable spoke with Ikenga Tochukwu, Anambra police spokesperson, on Thursday evening, he said he did not have such information before him.

BUHARI ASKS SECURITY AGENCIES TO ‘SOLVE CASE’

On Friday, Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson, in a statement via Twitter, said Buhari expressed shock over the alleged abduction of the babies.

“President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock over the reported kidnapping of five newborn babies in Anambra State, directing that the rising crime rate in the areas be reduced without any delay,” the statement reads.

“The reported kidnapping occurred at Stanley Hospital, Nkpologwu in the state. The attackers picked the babies and zoomed off.

“In expressing his concern about the strange incident, President Buhari said this case must be solved immediately.

“He directed that security at hospitals must be foolproof so that attacks of this nature do not happen again.”

PRESIDENT BUHARI DIRECTS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO SOLVE ANAMBRA BABIES’ KIDNAP

— Garba Shehu (@GarShehu) December 9, 2022

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‘NO SUCH REPORT’

Speaking with TheCable on Friday, Tochukwu said the command has no such information.

“There is no such report. All the quarters and people concerned have reacted to this — Anambra police, the community, Anambra state government, the hospital — have reacted,” he said.

‘REPORT FICTITIOUS’

The Anambra state government, in a statement on Thursday, said the report is “fictitious” and designed to create fear in the minds of people of Anambra.

Paul Nwosu, the state commissioner for information, said babies were not abducted in Anambra

“There are reports currently flying around the social media by supposedly respectable national media that gunmen attacked a maternity hospital in Anambra state and abducted four (4) new born babies,” the statement reads.

“The report neither stated the name of the hospital nor the identities of the mothers whose babies were abducted.

“The Government of Anambra State wishes to state in very clear terms that the report is NOT TRUE. No such attack took place in Anambra State and no babies were abducted.

“These are mere fictitious, sponsored through dishonest and unethical reporters to create fear among Ndi Anambra, but they will not succeed as the government has ensured there are enough boots on ground to protect our people this yuletide.”