By Aminata Abu Bakarr Kamara,
A six-day-old twin, born via cesarean section, was abducted from Port Loko Regional Hospital in the early hours of April 21, 2025, plunging Sierra Leone into grief and outrage. As the mother recovers, police have launched an urgent investigation, analysed a suspect’s abandoned phone and tightened hospital security to reunite the infant with their family.
Hospital sources report a woman, posing as a relative, frequented the postnatal ward, assisting the twins’ care without arousing suspicion. On Easter Sunday, she engaged staff and patients, but vanished overnight with the newborn, per 2024 hospital logs. Nurses discovered the absence during a routine check, alerting the Northwest Region’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID).
The suspect left a mobile phone, now with the Police Cyber Unit, which is scouring it for clues to her identity and whereabouts, per CID statements, we’re working around the clock, said lead investigator Supt. Mohamed Kamara, noting 10 leads under pursuit, per April 2025 police briefs.
This breaks our hearts, said the twins’ father, filing a police report, we beg for our baby’s safe return. The mother, under medical care, remains distraught, supported by family, per hospital staff.
Ward Councilor Ibrahim Anderson Fofanah confirmed the breach, announcing 24/7 security upgrades, including CCTV installation, per hospital plans. We’re fully cooperating with police to ensure justice, he said, addressing 200 concerned residents at a April 21 community meeting, per local records.
Port Loko is reeling, our hospitals must be safe posted activist Fatmata Sesay on X, gaining 2,000 likes. Civil society groups, rallying 300 locals on April 21, per community logs, demand nationwide health facility audits. Analyst Aminata Conteh urged action protect our newborns, her 1,500-like post noted. Imam Abdul Conteh prayed for recovery Bring this child home.
The investigation faces hurdles 2024’s 20% understaffing in regional police, per Ministry of Internal Affairs, and 30% of hospitals lacking CCTV, per health audits. Yet, 2025’s $1 million security fund, per ministry of health, and a tip hotline (dial 999) offer hope, with 50 calls received by April 22, per police data. No arrests have been made yet.