A woman who was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) for allegedly stealing an eight-day-old baby at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ARBUTH) has given a reason for committing the crime.
The suspect confessed that she stole the baby due to mockery she received from her co-wife and husband’s family because she was childless.
She narrated that the prolonged mockery made her become frustrated at not being able to conceive.
The woman allegedly stole the 8-day-old twin, named Ibrahim Mohammed, at the ATBUTH, Bauchi a few days ago.
The suspect allegedly disguised themself as a nurse to carry out the crime.
Information revealed that the suspect took the baby home to her village in Dull, Tafawa Balewa Local Government Area saying that she had given birth.
But her husband outrightly rejected her story and told his wife to return the child from wherever she took him from.
According to information, having heard about the incident of a missing baby at ATBUTH, her co-wife raised an alarm and the matter was reported to security agents.
On getting the lead, the DSS visited Dull and embarked on a house-to-house check where they found the missing baby, and the woman was immediately arrested.
The suspect is currently in DSS custody at the time of filing this report.
In her statement, it was discovered that the suspect had had never given birth and confessed that she stole the baby due to the mockery she received from her mate and others including from the family of the husband.
Mother of the baby, Bilkisu Alhassan said that the woman shortly before stealing the babya told her that she observed that the baby was not having enough breast milk and needed to be fed with milk mixed with other nutrients.
According to her, the woman assured her that she had spoken with a Doctor in the children ward who promised to get the milk and other baby foods for her.
Bilikisu Alhassan said that, “I told her that the father had bought the foods for them but she said that it was not those ones, they needed something better”.
She asked me which among the babies is the senior and I showed her Ibrahim, she then stretched her hands to carry him. She told me that she was taking him to the children examination room. I did not know her but I kind of trusted her, I told her to wait for my mother in law to come but she just went away”.
While confirming that the baby had been found, Management of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi, said that the 14 days old twin baby stolen from the hospital was recovered in Bauchi
Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee of the ATBUTH, Dr Haruna Liman stated this at handing over of the stolen baby to the mother on Tuesday in Bauchi saying that the twin baby was stolen from the mother in the Hospital eight days after she gave birth to a set of twins.
According to him, “The baby was stolen on 21 September 2022 by 4:30 pm from the mother who is receiving treatment in the hospital. The baby boy was rescued today being 27of September around 1:00 am in good health and sound” .
“We appreciate Allah and the effort put by the Internal security of the hospital, Department of Security Services (DSS) Police, and other security agencies in recovering the baby,” he said.
Haruna Liman said that security agencies have already arrested a woman suspect for carrying out the dastardly act saying, “She is with them under interrogation, that is all we know after the security agencies have handed over the baby to the Hospital management” .
“We are now handing over the two weeks old twin baby boy to the Mother and the family in good health”, he added.
The Chairman explained that the management would review the security architecture of the hospital as well as install more security technology devices in the hospital.
On his part, the District head of Bauchi, Alhaji Nura Adamu Jumba urged the management of the hospital to review the security mechanism of the hospital in earnest to avoid such occurrence.
He pledged that traditional leaders would always educate communities on the proper times of visiting patients in the hospital urging the management to build a relationship with the stolen and recovered to give them a sense of belonging.
While responding on behalf of the family of the stolen baby, Malam Shitu Kalid expressed his appreciation to the Management of ATBTH for their concern and the security agencies for recovering the baby.
