Nasarawa Woman Arrested for Stealing Infant During Christening Ceremony
By Okafor Joseph Afam
September 30, 2024
The Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested a woman identified as Khadija Aliyu for allegedly stealing a seven-day-old baby girl during a naming ceremony in the Keffi area of the state.
In a statement released by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Rahman Nansel, on Sunday, the suspect was apprehended by police operatives at about 6:30 pm on Saturday.
According to the statement, Aliyu, who had been pretending to be pregnant, attended the christening event and, while the ceremony was ongoing, sneaked into the house where the baby was laid to sleep. She reportedly carried the infant on her back, covered her with a veil, and escaped the venue before being tracked down by the police.
“At about 6:30 hrs, police operatives attached to the Keffi Division arrested one Khadija Aliyu for stealing a seven-day-old baby girl during a naming ceremony in Keffi. The suspect, who had been claiming to be pregnant, attended a naming ceremony at Behind INEC office, Keffi. While the event was ongoing, she sneaked into the house, stole the baby that was laid to sleep, carried the child on her back, covered her with a veil, and escaped before she was later arrested,” Nansel explained.
In a separate development, an ex-convict, Hussaini Mohammed, was also arrested by the Nasarawa State Police Command for allegedly stealing motorcycles in the same Keffi area.
The Public Relations Officer stated that Hussaini, who had recently been released from a correctional facility, was apprehended following an investigation into a series of motorcycle thefts. During the probe, three motorcycles suspected to be stolen were recovered from him.
Nansel urged members of the public who have recently lost motorcycles to visit the Angwan Lambu Division in Keffi with proper proof of ownership to reclaim their items.
This recent incident mirrors a similar case in July 2023 when a 19-year-old woman from Bauchi State was arrested for allegedly conspiring with an 18-year-old man to steal a newborn baby. The suspect, Hajara Usman, was apprehended after a resident reported the abduction of his daughter’s newborn baby to the police.
The Nasarawa State Police Command continues to intensify efforts to curb such crimes, urging citizens to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities to the authorities.
