A woman, simply identified as Joy, has been arrested in Igbara Odo town, Ekiti State for locking up a set of two-year-old twins in a room for three days without food.
According to reports, after police arrested her and rescued the twins, Joy claimed she committed the act to protest her neglect and abandonment by the father of the kids since she got pregnant and in the face of hard times.
Neighbours said Joy allegedly threatened to kill the babies if anyone forced her to open the door.
The state Commissioner of Police, Tunde Mobayo, said his men, upon a call from a good Samaritan, swung into action, rushed to the scene and tactically rescued the kids.
“The two kids were taken immediately to hospital for medical examination/treatment, while investigation has already commenced and the command shall ensure the safety of the kids and their mother,” Mobayo stated.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu, who made this known in a statement in Ado Ekiti titled: ‘Ekiti police rescue twin babies’, said the command received a distressed call that “the woman locked up her twin babies in her room for about three days without food and threatened to kill them should anyone compel her to open the door.
“The command’s Rapid Response Squad, upon the receipt of the information, swung into action and rescued the two kids. During interrogation, the lady narrated that the father of her kids left her for Calabar, Cross River State capital, when she was pregnant and has refused to return to take care of her and the kids to date.
“According to her, she could no longer fend for herself and her two kids because her hairdressing work started failing. The two kids, who appear unhealthy, are already two years old but can neither walk nor stand on their own without support due to malnutrition.”
Abutu, who said the twins were taken immediately to the hospital for medical attention, said the police had already begun an investigation into the matter and would ensure the safety of the kids and their mother.
