Three Arrested as Police Hunt for Missing Newborn Stolen from Tamale Hospital

The Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Northern Regional Police Command has arrested three individuals in connection with the theft of a newborn baby from One Heart Hospital in Tamale.

The arrests were carried out on Sunday, December 21, as part of urgent investigations into the incident, which has sparked public outrage and heightened security concerns.

Those in custody include two nurses, Abubakari Fatima Bintu and Grace Asiedu Mensah, who were on duty at the time of the incident, as well as a security guard, Abukari Iddi.

Preliminary police investigations indicate that the baby was taken after a woman, suspected to have impersonated a nurse, entered the labour ward and informed staff that she was taking the newborn for an injection. The woman reportedly left the ward with the baby and failed to return.

Confirming the arrests, the Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Inspector Alhassan Luckman Niendow, said intelligence-led operations are ongoing to locate the missing baby and apprehend any additional suspects connected to the case.

“The police are treating this matter with the utmost urgency. Our priority is to find the baby and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice,” he said.

Earlier, the baby’s mother, Abdul Mumin Safiyatu, told JoyNews that she had stepped out briefly to use the washroom. Upon her return, she discovered her baby was missing, prompting panic among staff and patients at the facility.

An eyewitness also recounted that a woman entered the delivery room, claimed she was taking the baby for routine medical checks, and later disappeared with the child.

The baby’s father, Bawa Sayibu, said he was informed around 1:15 a.m. that his wife had delivered a baby boy. He explained that he later purchased medication required for the newborn’s discharge and left the hospital around 10:00 a.m.

“I was sitting with my colleagues when my sister called me crying and asked me to rush to the hospital,” he said. “When I arrived, I was told the baby had been stolen.”

Mr Sayibu added that following a report to the police, several arrests were made, including one of his wives who works at the hospital.

The incident triggered heightened tension at the facility, as residents of Lamashegu stormed the hospital demanding answers and accountability. Many expressed shock over the incident and raised serious concerns about security lapses within health facilities.

Residents have since called on hospital management and security agencies to strengthen surveillance and access controls to prevent similar incidents and restore public confidence in healthcare institutions.