Suspected ritualists have reportedly abducted a 13-day-old baby at Uro-Ajowa in the Akoko North-West Local Government Area of Ondo State.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Thursday while the mother of the baby, Mrs Oluwaseun Olomodi, was still sleeping.

A source stated that two suspected ritualists sneaked into the room where the newborn baby and the mother were sleeping and took the baby away.

The source said the hoodlums might have kidnapped the baby for ritual purposes.

The source said, “It happened around 1am on Thursday. The hoodlums gained entry into the house through the kitchen. After the hoodlums had abducted the baby, an elderly woman, who woke up at that time and attempted to rescue the baby, was cut with a machete by the hoodlums.

“The elderly woman’s scream woke up the neighbours and the victim’s mother, but the kidnappers had left. Immediately, the community members started combing the bushes but their efforts have not yielded any fruit up until now.”

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer for the Ondo State Police Command, Mr Femi Joseph, said the police had begun investigation into the matter.

“We have launched a manhunt for the hoodlums and I am very sure that they will soon be arrested. We have also begun investigation into the matter,” Joseph stated.