A serving Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State, Dr. Wisdom Sawyer, has been arrested by the police over alleged attempts to sell newborn baby.
The Permanent Secretary, also a medical practitioner and proprietor of the Survival Hospital at Igbogene community in Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state, was arrested on Thursday following a complaint from the mother of the baby.
It was gathered that Ms Nnenna Lawrence, the 24 years old mother of the baby, had gone to the hospital at eight months into her pregnancy and attempted abortion.
The doctor reportedly declined to perform the abortion due to the high risk, but he was alleged to have offered to buy the baby if delivered with an offer of N200,000 for a female baby and the sum of N250,000 if the baby turned out to be a male.
Sources at the Bayelsa Police Command familiar with the case say that the doctor gave the expectant mother the sum of N27,000 as a commitment.
When the expectant mother delivered a baby boy she reportedly changed her mind and filed a complaint at the Igbogene Police Division after the hospital refused to release the baby to her.
Mr Asinim Butswat, Spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, confirmed the development and said investigation is underway on the matter.
His words: “On Thursday, at about 1000hrs, one Nnena Florence of Igbogene Community, reported to the police, that she delivered a baby on the February 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 of two hundred thousand naira only. But upon delivery of the baby, she change her mind and refused to sell the baby as agreed.”
The police also said that the doctor and the nurse are undergoing interrogation at Igbogene Police Station. (News Express)
A sad story indeed! Money is the root of all evil. Why should a medical doctor and a nurse be involved in any way with the sale of a newborn baby? Isn’t this the job of State Adoption Agencies in any civilized society?
If these medical professionals (doctor and nurse) are found culprits in the baby sale arrangement, they and the alleged buyer of the baby needs to face the maximum punishment possible under the law. Only swift punitive justice for the behaviors of these inconsiderate medical practitioners will deter others from partaking in newborn baby sale arrangements and deals.