A couple has been arrested for allegedly stealing a day-old baby from Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, Kano.
Spokesperson of Kano State Police command, DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Kano.
Kiyawa said one Rabiu Muhammad, residing in Gayawa quarters, Ungogo LGA of the state, reported to the police that one of the twins his wife delivered on September 7, at Wase Teaching Hospital was missing.
The police said on Sept. 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.
Kiyawa said 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 said 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, all of Rijiyar Zaki quarters, Kano.
“The baby was recovered from them in their home.
During preliminary investigations, Maryam confessed to have taken away the baby from the hospital.
“She said her husband influenced her into committing the crime, as he been longing for a male child.”
The police further explained that the suspects were said to have organised a party to celebrate the 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 said the newborn baby had already been reunited with his parents.
He said the suspects would be charged to court upon completion of investigations.
