Revealed! How couple ‘stole male child, staged naming ceremony’ in Kano

The Police Command in Kano State has arrested a couple for allegedly stealing a day-old baby from Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, Kano.

The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Abdullahi Haruna-Kiyawa, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Kano.

Haruna-Kiyawa said that one Rabiu Muhammad, residing in Gayawa quarters, Ungogo LGA of Kano, reported to the Police that one of the twins his wife delivered on September 7 at Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital Kano, was missing.

According to the Police, on September 8 at about 0130hrs, one of his newly-born male twins was missing, when his sister in-law, who was looking after the babies at the corridor of the maternity ward in the hospital slept off.

“She woke up and couldn’t see one of the babies,” he said.

Haruna-Kiyawa said that upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu-Dikko, instructed a team of detectives led by SP Daniel Amah to rescue the victim and arrest the culprits.

“The team immediately stormed the facility and launched a search operation. The hospital was sealed and thoroughly combed, but the baby could not be found,” he said.

He revealed that the suspects were arrested following an intelligence report.

“Intelligence report led to the arrest of one Maryam Sadiq, 22, and her husband, one Abubakar Sadiq, 50 years, both of Rijiyar Zaki quarters, Kano. The baby was recovered from them in their home.

“During preliminary investigations, Maryam confessed to have taken the baby from the hospital. She said that her husband influenced her into committing the crime, as he had been longing for a male child.”

Haruna-Kiyawa further explained that the suspects were said to have organised a party to celebrate arrival of a male child in their family.

“That triggered doubts and suspicion, since their neighbours knew that Maryam was not pregnant,” he said.

He added that the newborn baby had already been reunited with his parents.

The PPRO said that the CP ordered that the case be transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department of the command for discreet investigations.

He added that the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigations. (NAN)