The Jigawa State Police Command has apprehended a 25-year-old nursing officer alongside a 20-year-old woman for allegedly kidnapping a one-and-a-half-year-old boy from the paediatric ward of Babura General Hospital. The child was subsequently rescued from the female suspect.
The incident was confirmed to The PUNCH on Thursday during a telephone interview with the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shi’isu Adam.
Adam explained that the arrests followed a distress report from the hospital regarding the disappearance of the toddler. He noted that officers swiftly launched an intelligence-driven investigation to locate the missing child and identify those allegedly behind the abduction.
The PPRO said, “The operatives, acting on credible intelligence and investigative leads, tracked the suspected female accomplice, identified as 20-year-old Khadija Aliyu of Kinkinau Quarters, Kaduna State, to the outskirts of the town.”
“Operatives arrested the suspect while she was in possession of the abducted one-and-a-half-year-old baby boy,” the PPRO said, adding that the successful operation led to the immediate recovery of the child.
The police spokesperson also revealed that the investigation resulted in the arrest of 25-year-old Sadik Sale Yahaya of Zango Quarters, Gumel Division, a nursing officer serving at Babura General Hospital.
Further explaining the case, the PPRO said, “The nursing officer was allegedly involved in the conspiracy with the woman to carry out the criminal act,” stressing that detectives were working to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance from the hospital.
According to the police spokesperson, “Preliminary investigation revealed that the female suspect allegedly intended to take the child to an orphanage in Kaduna State and sell him for the sum of ₦2 million.”
“The female suspect confessed during interrogation that she took the child with the intention of selling him for two million naira,” Adam said, adding that investigators were still reviewing the confession alongside other evidence obtained during the probe.
Adam further stated that the rescued child has been placed under protective care and will be reunited with his biological family after all necessary procedures and verification by the relevant authorities have been completed.
He added that both suspects remain in police custody while investigations continue, noting that “the command is working to determine the full extent of the alleged conspiracy and establish whether other individuals were involved.”
Adam assured that the police would continue pursuing every available lead to ensure anyone linked to the alleged abduction is brought to justice in line with the law.
The PPRO also quoted the Commissioner of Police, Jigawa State Command, CP Tijjani Murtala, as praising the operatives for their bravery, professionalism and swift response, which he said led to the successful rescue of the child and the arrest of the suspects.
According to the PPRO, the commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to safeguarding lives and property while encouraging residents to continue providing timely and credible information to the police to help prevent and tackle criminal activities across Jigawa State.
