Woman Sentenced to 14 Years for Stealing Newborn in Ekiti, Still at Large

An Ekiti State High Court in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced 37-year-old Deborah Ayeni to 14 years in prison for stealing a newborn baby. The court declared her a fugitive after she failed to appear for her trial.

Justice Lekan Olatawura issued the sentence when Ayeni’s sureties, including her father, did not bring her to court. The judge also ordered that the court’s decision be sent to the Nigeria Police and the media to help locate Ayeni.

Ayeni was initially charged with stealing a baby from Mustapher Aliu and his wife, Falmata, on August 4, 2025. The prosecution presented four witnesses during the trial. Ayeni had pleaded not guilty to the charges against her.

According to the prosecutor, Ibironke Odetola, Ayeni had claimed she was pregnant and invited her husband from abroad to be present for the birth. However, she had actually lost a pregnancy earlier that year. To cover her deception, she stole the baby from a hospital in Ado-Ekiti.

After stealing the baby, Ayeni gave the child to a midwife for care while telling her husband that she had buried the placenta. The midwife later became suspicious and reported Ayeni to the police, leading to her arrest. The baby was rescued safely.

The court also imposed a six-month prison sentence on Ayeni’s father and another surety for failing to ensure her appearance in court.