Herbalist, Olawale Onalaja, has been arrested for allegedly selling a week-old baby to a couple for N300,000 in Iyana-ipaja, Lagos.
He was arrested alongside the couple, who were identified as Dele and Oluwakemi Ayangbile.
The 29-year-old mother of the child delivered on September 5 and dropped her baby with the herbalist, who is supposed to be a family friend.
The polytechnic student was preparing for her convocation when she was delivered of the baby.
She had a disagreement with her husband, Akinola Babatunde, after the delivery and had taken the baby to Onalaja and requested that he kept the child for her, while she travelled to school on September 13.
Onalaja then called the supposed new parents and sold the baby to them for N300,000.
The couple, who immediately took the baby home, alerted the curiosity of the neighbour who then reported them to the police three days after.
Meanwhile, when the mother of the child asked about her baby, Onalaja told her he was in custody of a government-owned orphanage where he would be properly taken care of.
The wife, Oluwakemi, however said she had been barren since 2009 when she got married, adding that Onalaja, who was a family friend, had earlier advised her to adopt a child.
She said, “I have known the traditional doctor since 2013. I got married in 2009 and I used to have miscarriages. It was while looking for treatment that I met him. In 2014, he advised that I should adopt a baby, but I did not agree.
“Two Mondays ago, he called me on the telephone and said I should meet him. He told me that he had a baby at hand to give us, adding that he would obtain all the necessary papers. I then discussed it with my husband and he said we should go for the baby since Onalaja was going to get the papers. He did not tell us that the baby’s mother was not aware of the transaction.
“I paid him N300,000, and brought the baby home. But after three days, the police came to arrest my husband and I. We have been barren for six years, and we need a child. We mean no harm to the baby.”
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