The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old woman, identified as Maryam Atiku of Nasarawa area, Kamba, Dandi Local Government Area, for allegedly attempting to kill her newborn baby girl by burying her alive.
The incident occurred on June 25, 2025, at about 8:00 p.m., shortly after Atiku delivered the baby. According to police investigations, she tied the infant’s neck with three wrappers, covered her mouth, and buried her in a shallow hole inside Malam Yaro bush.
However, luck smiled on the child the next day, June 26, when a farmer, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, discovered a disturbed patch of soil resembling a fresh grave on his farmland near Mallam Yaro village. He raised an alarm, attracting residents who helped exhume the baby alive. The child was immediately rushed to General Hospital, Kamba, where doctors confirmed her condition as stable.
Following the report, detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Birnin Kebbi, swung into action and arrested the suspect. Police said Atiku confessed to the crime during preliminary investigation.
The Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Bello M. Sani, condemned the act, reiterating the Command’s zero tolerance for child abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence. He urged parents and community leaders to protect children under their care, warning against compromising their future due to poverty or other factors.
CP Sani also commended the swift intervention of Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad and acknowledged the support of the wife of the state governor, Her Excellency Hajia Zainab Nasare Nasir Idris Kauran Gwandu, for her magnanimity in ensuring the rescued baby’s welfare.
The police confirmed that the suspect has been arraigned in court after investigation, with the aim of ensuring justice and deterring similar crimes.
