Ondo police arrest prophetess after mother, baby died during childbirth

An Akure-based prophetess, Folasade Adekola, has been arrested in connection with the death of a woman, who allegedly bled to death during childbirth at her church facility in Ondo State.

The woman, Jumoke Adesuwa, died from complications shortly after the birth of her baby at the Christ Engracing Deliverance Ministry, Off Ilupeju Street, Oke-Aro area of Akure

Mrs Adekola, 28, was said to have died alongside her baby at the church.

Daily Trust gathered that Adesuwa, who was pregnant, had left her house a few days ago to the church for spiritual guidance towards her delivery without her husband’s knowledge.

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The baby died last week Wednesday after delivery inside the church while the woman bled to death in an undisclosed hospital due to complications.

A source who was part of the family members that made frantic efforts to save the life of Mrs Adesuwa said on Tuesday that the husband of the deceased had earlier given her money to register at any government hospital. 

“Only for the husband of the deceased to come from the farm in Idanre after five days away from home and asked for the whereabouts of his wife. One of the neighbours told him that she had left for church to be delivered of the baby.

“Someone from the church called in the evening to inform him that his wife has been delivered of a baby. The deceased’s husband called me, and we rushed to the said church called ‘Muzuzo’ at Oke-Aro.

“When we got there, we were told that the baby died in the process, but the mother was alive. On sighting the deceased, we saw her in a pool of blood bleeding profusely. So, we rushed her to a nearby hospital.”

He added, “Due to the condition of the deceased, she was rejected at three hospitals, and she died in the process of reviving her in the last hospital that admitted her,” he said.

“To our surprise, we got to the church to collect the baby’s remains, and we found the corpse in a room in the church. The condition of the room was very worrisome as it does not look like a delivery room.”

Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, police spokesperson in the state, confirmed the incident, saying the prophetess is currently in custody at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, (SCIID).