Woman bleeds to death after childbirth in Lagos church which she attended in defiance of lockdown

CHERUBIM and Seraphim Church prophetess Evelyn Owoleke has been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command after one of her parishioners bled to death after giving birth during a service in defiance of a government lockdown order.

Across Nigeria, there is still a prohibition on the holding of religious services, with churches and mosques banned from opening while the coronavirus pandemic still rages. However, the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Bayo Ajao Street, in the Aboru area of Lagos State, still held a service last Sunday despite the ban and one of the attendees was a certain Seun Olorunto, who gave birth during the service.

As a result of the lack of medical attention in the church, Ms Olorunto bled to death after giving birth. Bala Elkana, the Lagos State Police Command spokesman said that when they were consulted, officers rushed to the scene to fund Ms Olorunto in a pool of her own blood and the corpse has subsequently been deposited in a mortuary and the baby taken to hospital.

Mr Elkana said: “On May 4, 2020, around 7.50pm, one Olaloye Jolayemi of Ologundudu Street, Aboru, reported at the Oke-Odo Police Station that on May 4, 2020, around 10am, one Seun Olorunto, 39, died after she was delivered of a baby boy by one Prophetess Evelyn Owoleke at the Cherubim and Seraphim Church on Bayo Ajao Street, Aboru. Homicide detectives visited the scene and found the woman lying in a pool of her own blood, suggesting that she might have bled to death due to complications.

"The corpse was removed from the church to the General Hospital, Yaba, for autopsy. The infant was taken to hospital for medical examination and care, while the traditional/spiritual midwife was arrested and taken to the SCIID, Yaba and an investigation is ongoing.”

Nigeria currently has a total of 4,399 coronavirus of which there have been 143 fatalities, with Lagos State accounting for about 40% of all cases. To prevent the spread, there is a nationwide suspension on church and mosque gatherings but many clergymen and women have protested this, with some of them defying the order.