A trader in the area, Mrs. Janet Fabiyi, said the child might have been used for ritual purpose and dumped in the neighbourhood.
“Some wicked parents can decide to throw away their baby just because of poverty or if they are not ready for parenting. It can also be that the baby was used for rituals and dumped,” she said.
However, an okada rider, Bashir Rasaq, said Tope might be hiding under lunacy to perpetrate evil. He said she had not shown up in the area since after the incident, adding that her paraphernalia was later set ablaze by the mob.
He said, “I don’t think she is mentally ill. She ran towards police station for safety. That is why I am suspicious of her. Since that morning till now (Saturday evening), we have not seen her, whereas she used to come here every day.”
The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident.
According to him, Tope was breast-feeding the baby when she was attacked by the mob.
He said, “Yes, we have a case of such. The mad woman was seen in possession of the dead baby ─ a day old baby. We rescued her from a mob. She did not kill the baby. She just found the dead baby where it was dumped. No clue on the person who dumped the dead baby. We are still on that.”
