Ondo: Two mothers, newborn babies die during labour, prophetess, fake midwife arrested

BY ADETOKUNBO ABIOLA

The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a prophetess and a traditional midwife over separate cases of alleged maternal and infant deaths under suspicious circumstances in Akure and Emure-Ile respectively.

The public relations officer of the command, DSP Abayomi Jimoh, made this known through a press release to newsmen in Akure, the Ondo State capital over the weekend.

According to the release, on the 16th of April, 2026, one Remilekun informed the police that her brother, Mr. Bawa Lawal, had received information concerning the death of his wife, Mrs. Bawa Blessing, who had gone into labour at a private residence in the Gloryland area, off Ado Road, Akure.

The victim was said to have developed complications shortly after delivery and died before she could be transported to a medical facility from the residence, reportedly owned by one Elizabeth Aremu, who allegedly presented herself as a midwife.

During the investigation, detectives visited the scene where the lifeless body of a newborn infant was discovered in a sack and arrested the suspect.

In the second development, one Augustine Kufre on the 11th of April, 2026 reported that his girlfriend, Genifer Sunday, aged 20 years, was taken due to labour pains to an Emure-Ile church, where the prophetess, identified as Blessing Effiong, allegedly undertook the delivery.

The newborn infant reportedly died at the scene, while the mother later died on the way to the hospital following complications, with the suspect in the case also arrested.

In both cases, detectives from the command have commenced thorough investigations, while the remains of the deceased mothers and their infants have been deposited at the State Specialist Hospital, Akure and the Federal Medical Centre morgue respectively for preservation and autopsy.

Abayomi, in the press release, thereupon assured the public that diligent investigations were ongoing to unravel the circumstances surrounding these tragic incidents and to strongly advise members of the public to always seek medical care from qualified and licensed healthcare providers, particularly in critical situations such as childbirth, to avoid unregulated facilities or individuals posing as medical practitioners.