Police parade couple for stealing day-old twin

A couple Maryam Sadiq, 22, and her husband, Abubakar Sadiq, 50, in the ancient city of Kano have been arrested for allegedly stealing a day-old baby.

The Kano State police command’s Public Relations Officer PPRO, DSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa disclosed this to newsmen in Kano on Friday.

According to him, Mrs Maryam confessed that the child was stolen from Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, Kano, under the influence of her husband who has been longing for a male child.

DSP Kiyawa further stated that the suspects reportedly threw a lavish party to celebrate the arrival of a male child in their family, stressing that the action “triggered doubts since neighbours knew Maryam was not pregnant.”

However, he said the act was reported by “one Rabi’u Muhammad of Gayawa Quarters, Ungogo LGA Kano, who reported that on the same day at about 0130hrs, one of his newly-born male twin babies was missing.”

His words, “Mr. Muhammad’s wife delivered of twins on the 07/09/2021 at Muhammad Abdullahi Wase Teaching Hospital, Kano and was admitted”, adding that the sister-in-law who was looking after the babies at the corridor of the Maternity ward slept off only to woke up and found one of the twins missing.

DSP Kiyawa “upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, Kano State Command, CP Sama’ila Shu’aibu Dikko, raised and instructed a team of detectives led by SP Daniel Itse Amah to rescue the victim and arrest the culprits.”

He noted “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.”

DSP Kiyawa hinted that “sustained efforts coupled with intelligence sharing led to the arrest of one Maryam Sadiq, 22 years old, and her husband one Abubakar Sadiq, 50 years old, both of Rijiyar Zaki Quarters, Kano. The Child was recovered from them in their home.”