President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed shock over the reported kidnapping of five newborn babies in Anambra State on Wednesday.
The President has also directed security agencies to ensure immediate reduction of the crime rate in the area.
The President issued the directive in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity, Mallam Shehu Garba, on Friday.
President Buhari ordered security agencies to ensure tight security around hospitals to ensure that such an incident is not repeated.
“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 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.”
Gunmen had allegedly attacked a maternity hospital in Nkpologwu community, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State and disappeared with five newborn babies.
A source from the community said the incident happened on Tuesday night, and was only made known to members of the community on Wednesday morning.
“It happened in our community, and people have been discussing it since Wednesday morning. They said some gunmen stormed the hospital (name withheld) and took away four babies from the hospital.
“From what people are saying in the community, no one was injured, and no one was killed in the attack too. The motive for the invasion of the hospital was not known to anyone.
“Some people say they could have taken the babies to sell them to childless individuals, but others say it could be for ritual purposes,” the source had said.
