Woman steals newborn, deceives husband for nine months

The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 19-year-old woman, Khadija Ibrahim, for allegedly stealing a newborn baby in Zuru Local Government Area and presenting the child to her husband as their own.

Ibrahim, a resident of Rikoto in Zuru LGA, was arrested on August 14, 2026, following an investigation into the alleged theft, which occurred on July 23, 2025.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

According to the police, the suspect allegedly took the baby shortly after the child’s biological mother, Fatima Muhammad, gave birth.

The command said Ibrahim had offered to assist the new mother by fetching hot water but allegedly used the opportunity to flee with the newborn.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the suspect had allegedly been under social and emotional pressure over not yet having a child, as some of her peers had already given birth,” the statement said.

The police further alleged that Ibrahim had deceived her husband for about nine months by making him believe she was pregnant.

After taking Fatima’s newborn, the suspect allegedly presented the baby to her husband as their child.

The police said their investigation eventually led to the recovery of the baby, who was safely reunited with the biological mother.

Ibrahim remains in police custody and is expected to be charged to court after the conclusion of the investigation.

The Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Umar Hadejia, commended the officers involved in the investigation and recovery of the child.

Hadejia also assured residents that the command would continue to protect children and other vulnerable persons while ensuring that suspects found culpable are prosecuted.

The police urged members of the public to provide information that could help security agencies prevent crimes against children and protect vulnerable persons.