Baby stolen from church returned

Two weeks after an eight-month-old baby was kidnapped from a Pentecostal church in Asaba, Delta State, the kidnappers have returned the child.

The baby, Daresimi, was found within the church premises at about 7 pm on Friday with a letter strung to his neck.

It was gathered that the child was stolen by an unknown woman while her mother, a chorister, was singing in the choir a fortnight ago.

According to Daresimi’s father, Victor, the thief in the letter stated that her Pastor asked her to kidnap a baby for 14 days so as to enable her get pregnant too.

The letter reads:
“Please, you people should forgive me. I did not mean any harm. I am a childless woman, a pastor of a church directed me to steal a child and keep it for 14 days and that at the end of the last day, I will be able to get pregnant and give birth to children of my own.

”So I acted on the instruction the very pastor gave to me and again you can see that the child is healthy, because I took care of him. I am troubled I could not keep the child as I also learnt that the pastor of the church where the child was stolen and the entire church have placed a curse on me.

”I am using the opportunity to beg God, the church and the parents of the boy to forgive and reverse the curse placed on me and also pray for me so that I can have children of my own.”

Unable to hide his joy, Victor said “When the pastor phoned me that there was a baby that had been found in the church premises, I did not believe that it could be my child, but when I got there and discovered that it was my eight months old baby boy, I was full of joy and began to praise God and worship Him for His mercies towards the family.

“My wife, Chioma could not hold herself but burst into tears of joy. We are happy, my family is thanking all, particularly the church members who prayed and fasted with us within the 13 days the child was missing. We also thank the police for the prompt attention given to the matter.”