A 19 year old woman, Khadija Ibrahim, has been arrested by the Kebbi State Police Command for allegedly stealing a newborn baby and presenting the child to her husband as her own.
Ibrahim, a resident of Rikoto in Zuru Local Government Area of the state, was arrested on August 14, 2026, following an investigation into the alleged incident, which occurred on July 23, 2025.
The police said the suspect allegedly took the baby shortly after the child’s biological mother, Fatima Muhammad, had given birth.
According to the command, Ibrahim had offered to help the new mother by going to fetch hot water but allegedly used the opportunity to flee with the newborn.
The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Bashir Usman, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
The command said preliminary findings indicated that the suspect had been facing emotional and social pressure over her inability to have a child, particularly as some of her peers had already become mothers.
The police further alleged that Ibrahim had deceived her husband for about nine months into believing that she was pregnant.
Following the alleged theft, she reportedly presented the newborn to her husband as their child.
The baby was later recovered by the police and reunited with the biological mother.
The suspect remains in police custody and is expected to be arraigned after the completion of the investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Umar Hadejia, praised the officers involved for their efforts in recovering the child and arresting the suspect.
Hadejia assured residents that the command would continue to protect children and other vulnerable persons, while ensuring that those found culpable of criminal offences face the law.
The police also appealed to members of the public to provide timely information to security agencies to help prevent crimes against children and other vulnerable members of society.