Abduction: Rescued woman dies after giving birth

An expectant mother, who was rescued from suspected kidnappers by some road safety officials,  died yesterday after giving birth to a baby boy.

The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) officials rushed her  to hospital after rescuing her around a  filling station in Badagry.

She was being driven away by two men in a car marked KTU 356 CE, which was coming from Cotonou, when the FRSC officials came to her rescue.

It was gathered that the deceased might have thought that the car was being used as a cab.

But on realising her mistake,   she raised the alarm. Her shouts of Ole! Ole!! Ole!!! were said to have attracted other road users.

The Nation gathered that other motorists pursued the car, which was forced to stop around the filling station.

The  FRSC team led by  P. Danboyi pounced on the car and its occupants and became suspicious on sighting the injured  woman.

While they were interrogating the men, those chasing the car arrived and reported  that the woman was screaming for help.

She was rushed to the hospital where she was delivered of the baby through caesarean section (CS) after going into emergency labour.  But she died a few hours later around 3pm. Her body has been deposited at the Badagry General Hospital mortuary.

A mob descended on the suspects and set them ablaze. But soldiers put out the fire, dispersed the mob and handed over the suspects to the police.

FRSC’s Unit Commander in Badagry, Fatai Bakare, said the baby was in good health.

Bakare said: “There were three persons in the vehicle, two suspected kidnappers (men) and an expectant woman who was their victim. The woman has sustained body injuries and was rushed to Ola-Oki Hospital, Ibereko for medical attention, where she immediately gave birth to a baby boy’’.

FRSC Corps Marshal Dr Boboye Oyeyemi, in a statement by the Corps Public Education Officer,  Bisi Kazeem, hailed the “gallant officers and commended them for their bravery’’.

Boboye said his men were on the road to control    traffic and guarantee public safety by collaborating with   other law enforcement agencies.

Police spokesman, Chike Oti, a Superintendent (SP), said it was not a case of kidnapping but that of ‘one-chance’ robbers, adding : ‘’She had some goods, boarded a vehicle to convey her to her location but along the line, they wanted to rob her.

“She raised the alarm and the robbers afraid that they might run into trouble with security operatives, pushed her off the vehicle.

“Unknown to them, people heard the woman’s screams and saw when she fell from the vehicle. They pursued the vehicle, caught up with the robbers and attacked them.

“The woman was picked up and rushed to hospital by FRSC officials and she was delivered of her baby through surgery.

“Soldiers intervened and stopped the mob from killing the suspects. The soldiers contacted the police and handed over the suspects to the police. They are currently at an undisclosed hospital.”