A hospital attendant, Fatima Suleiman, and a herbalist, Salaudeen Ibrahim, have been arrested for stealing a new born baby’s placenta on October 31, 2018, at Capstone Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara State.

The state Police Commissioner, Kofowora Bolaji, said “upon successful surgery, the doctor handed over the placenta to Fatima to give to the father of the baby, but she instead sold it to Alfa Salaudeen Ibrahim to use for charm.”

During an interview with newsmen, Ibrahim said: “I read Islamic Studies from the Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin. I graduated in 2016. A month ago, she came to me to ask if baby placenta can be used for ritual purposes and I answered in the affirmative. .

And that was the last thing I discussed with her. And she left. Because she is an attendant in a hospital she told me that some people would leave their baby placentas for them to throw away.

Later, I had even forgotten and she came with one about five days ago. She dropped the placenta, after her departure something told me to call her to come and take it away, and that I would not do the ritual. .

I called her to come and pick it away she refused to, not until she called me that the incident had been reported at the police station. Not to be implicated, I packed the placenta and threw into a nearby river. I thought, with that, I would get myself out of trouble but here am I.”

On her own part, the hospital attendant said: “He did not hand over any amount of money to me, but he told me to help him get baby placenta since the wife is my friend. It is because of my closeness to the wife that is why I acceded to his request.

This is the first time I would engage in such nefarious activity. When I called him the story had taken a twist. He said he had thrown into the river. He added that the placenta would not be efficacious as the baby was delivered via caesarian section (CS).”