The Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Ogun State has warned traditional birth attendants against aiding and abetting ritual killers and kidnappers while delivering women of their babies.
The state Secretary of PCRC, Farouq Akintunde, said this at a seminar organised for traditional birth attendants in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
- Nasarawa APC chair ‘assassinated’, Zamfara imam, 30 others still in captivity
- Security operatives wished us luck as we went to pay ransom – Families of ABU 9
Akintunde warned the attendants against becoming tools in the hands of kidnappers and ritual killers in the state.
He said with the support of the association, ritual killings and other related offences would reduce in the state.
He also urged the traditional birth attendants to be professional in discharging their duties and avoid criminal acts.
According to him, many members of the group are being accused of indulging in criminal activities like swapping or selling of babies and placentas, noting that it is criminal and the police would not condone any act that contravenes the law of the land.
“As traditional birth attendants, these are the people responsible for the delivery of babies and there are a lot of stories here and there involving rituals, kidnapping, and all that.
“We believe all these have security implications in society. We called them together to let them know that they can do their job professionally without indulging in crime.
“Our message is for them to perform their duties in line with the extant laws. And once they act in line with the laws and regulations, there won’t be any act of criminality in their jobs,” Akintunde said.
The chairman of the traditional birth attendants, John Salisu, promised the support of the association towards fighting crime in the state.
“As traditional birth attendants, people tend to call us quacks … that we don’t know many things about childbirth.
“But we want to show to the world that we are not quacks,” he said.
