The police command in Kebbi has arrested Khadija Ibrahim, 19, for allegedly stealing a newborn baby in the Zuru area.

Bashir Usman, the command’s spokesman, in a statement on Sunday, alleged the teenager stole the baby while pretending to help the newborn’s mother.

“The incident occurred on 23rd July 2025, when the suspect, while pretending to assist Fatima Muhammad, who had just given birth, allegedly offered to fetch hot water but instead fled with the newborn”, he said

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspect had allegedly been under social and emotional pressure over her inability to have a child, particularly as some of her peers had already given birth.

“She subsequently allegedly deceived her husband for about nine months into believing that she was pregnant and, after the birth of Fatima Muhammad’s baby, allegedly took the child and presented it to her husband as their own”, the statement said.

He added that the suspect was arrested on Friday following sustained investigation, noting that the baby was found and safely reunited with the biological mother.

The suspect remains in police custody and is expected to be charged to court after the conclusion of the investigation.

The Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Umar Hadejia, commended the operatives for their diligence and professionalism in recovering the baby and arresting the suspect.

He reassured residents that the command would continue to protect children and ensure that anyone found culpable of criminal acts is brought to justice.

The police urged members of the public to continue providing useful information that could assist security agencies in protecting vulnerable persons and preventing crimes against children.

-9News Nigeria.