Cleric, nurse arrested over sale of placenta in Ilorin
The police in Kwara State yesterday arrested a cleric and a nurse attendant at a private hospital in Ilorin for allegedly selling the placenta of a baby delivered in the hospital.
It was gathered that the placenta was sold by the nursing attendant (simply identified as Iya Ramadan) to the cleric (name withheld) at the cost of N20,000 for money ritual. The duo, according to findings, was arrested at different locations in Ilorin on Monday following a report to the police command by the medical officer in charge of the hospital.
Daily Trust learnt that the incident happened at Capstone Hospital in OkeErin area of Ilorin when the father of the new born baby, Jimoh Abdulfatah, demanded for the placenta of his baby from the hospital after its delivery.
The father had reportedly taken his wife to the hospital for caesarian operation after been referred there from another hospital in Ilorin.
It was gathered that after the operation, he forgot to collect the placenta but returned and demanded for it on the second day. But when he got to the hospital, the nurse he met told him she had asked the nurse attendant present during the operation to bring the placenta.
The nurse attendant reportedly told the senior nurse that she could not find the placenta where she kept it on the day of the delivery.
It was gathered that the medical officer incharge of the hospital thereafter informed the police at Surulere and the nurse attendant was arrested.
Following interrogation by the police, according to police sources, the nurse attendant revealed that she gave the placenta to one cleric who also subsequently arrested. At the police headquarters, the cleric reportedly confirmed that he collected the placenta but couldn’t produce it because he said he had thrown it into the water near his house. He was said to have told his accusers that the placenta was useless for the purpose he wanted it because the baby was delivered through an operation.
When contacted, the police spokesman in the state, DSP Ajayi Olasanmi, confirmed the arrest of two suspects and that they would be arraigned in court after the completion of investigation.