The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 19-year-old woman in Zuru Local Government Area for allegedly stealing a newborn baby and presenting the child to her husband as her own.
The Command’s spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed this in a statement issued on August 16, 2026.
According to police, the incident occurred on July 23, 2025, when the suspect visited Fatima Muhammad shortly after she had given birth and offered to fetch hot water for her. Muhammad obliged, but the suspect allegedly fled with the newborn instead of returning.
Investigations reportedly revealed that the suspect had been battling social and emotional pressure over her inability to conceive, especially as many of her peers had already become mothers. To cope, she allegedly pretended to be pregnant for nine months, and when the fake pregnancy was “due,” she stole Muhammad’s baby and passed the child off to her husband as their own.
Police said the suspect was arrested on August 14, 2026, after sustained investigation. The stolen baby has since been recovered and reunited with Muhammad, the biological mother.
The suspect remains in custody and will be arraigned in court once investigations are concluded.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Hadejia, commended the operatives involved for their professionalism in cracking the case and recovering the baby safely. He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to protecting children and ensuring that anyone found culpable faces justice.
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