By Duchess Ifeoluwa 

Ondo State Police Command has arrested two suspects in connection with separate cases of alleged maternal and infant deaths recorded under suspicious circumstances in Akure, the state capital, and Emure-Ile, Owo Local Government Area.

The arrests were confirmed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Abayomi Jimoh, who said the incidents occurred on April 11 and April 16, 2026, and are currently under investigation.

According to the statement, the first case was reported on April 16, when a woman, identified as Remilekun, informed the police that her brother, Bawa Lawal, had received news of the death of his wife, Blessing, who had gone into labour at a private residence in the Gloryland area, off Ado Road in Akure.

The residence was said to be owned by one Elizabeth Aremu, who allegedly presented herself as a midwife.

Police said the victim developed complications shortly after delivery and died before she could be taken to a medical facility.

Detectives who visited the scene reportedly discovered the lifeless body of a newborn infant wrapped in a sack, leading to the immediate arrest of the suspect.

In a separate incident reported on April 11, a man identified as Augustine Kufre told the police that his 20-year-old girlfriend, Genifer Sunday, was taken to a church in Emure-Ile after she went into labour.

The police said the delivery was allegedly handled by a prophetess, Blessing Efiong.

The newborn infant reportedly died at the scene, while the mother later died on the way to the hospital following complications.

The suspect in the second case has also been taken into custody.

The police stated that the remains of the deceased mothers and their infants have been deposited at the State Specialists’ Hospital, Akure, and the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, morgue for preservation and autopsy.

The Command assured that thorough investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incidents and to ensure that anyone found culpable is prosecuted.

The police also cautioned members of the public to seek medical attention only from qualified and licensed healthcare providers, particularly in critical situations such as childbirth, warning against the dangers of patronising unregulated facilities or individuals posing as medical practitioners.