Kano State Police Command says it has arrested 22-year-old Maryam Sadiq and her husband, Abubakar Sadiq, for stealing a day-old baby boy from Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital.
A spokesperson for the command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday, said Maryam stole one of the newborn male twins when the aunt looking after them fell asleep.
Kiyawa confirmed that the couple, who fled with the stolen baby, threw a party to celebrate the much-awaited arrival of a male child in their family.
During interrogation, Maryam claimed that she carried out the act with the aid of her husband who has been longing for a male child.
Kiyawa said, “On the 08/09/2021, at about 0300hrs, one Rabi’u Muhammad, ‘m’, of Gayawa Quarters, Ungogo LGA Kano, reported that on the same day at about 0130hrs, one of his newly-born male twin babies was missing,” the statement reads.
“He said his wife delivered of the twins on the 07/09/2021 at Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital Kano and was admitted. That his sister-in-law who was looking after the babies at the corridor of the Maternity ward slept off. She woke up and did not see the child.
“Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, fsi, raised and instructed a team of detectives led by SP Daniel Itse Amah to rescue the victim and arrest the culprits
“The team immediately stormed the scene and launched a search. The hospital was sealed off and thoroughly combed, but the child could not be found immediately
“Sustained efforts coupled with intelligence sharing led to the arrest of one Maryam Sadiq, ‘f’, 22 years old, and her husband one Abubakar Sadiq, ‘m’, 50 years old, all of Rijiyar Zaki Quarters, Kano. The Child was recovered from them in their home.
“On preliminary investigation, Maryam confessed that the child was taken away from Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital Kano and that she carried out the act under the influence of her husband who has been longing a male child
“Before their arrest, the suspects were said to have thrown a party to celebrate the arrival of a male child in their family, which triggered doubts since neighbours knew Maryam was not pregnant
“Meanwhile, the newborn baby has been reunited with his parents. The Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, fsi (Nagari-Nakowa) ordered that the case be transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department of the Command for discreet investigation. Suspects will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.”
