A 19-year-old suspect reportedly presented the baby to her husband as her own after pretending to be pregnant for months.
The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 19-year-old woman in Zuru Local Government Area for allegedly stealing a newborn baby after reportedly faking a pregnancy for nine months.
According to the police, the incident occurred on July 23, 2025, when the suspect visited a woman identified as Fatima Muhammad shortly after she had given birth.
Police spokesperson SP Bashir Usman said the suspect allegedly offered to help the new mother by fetching hot water but instead disappeared with the newborn.
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Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had been under significant social and emotional pressure because she had not given birth while many of her peers had already become mothers.
Investigators further alleged that she deceived her husband into believing she was pregnant for about nine months before presenting the stolen baby as their child.
Following an extensive investigation, police operatives arrested the suspect on August 14, 2026.
Authorities confirmed that the baby was successfully recovered and reunited with the biological mother.
The suspect remains in police custody and will be charged in court after investigations are concluded.
The Commissioner of Police in Kebbi State, CP Umar Hadejia, commended officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and assured residents that the command remains committed to protecting children and ensuring that offenders are brought to justice.
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