Police in Kamba town, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State, have arrested 20-year-old Maryam Atiku for allegedly burying her newborn baby girl alive in the bush.
According to police reports, Maryam wrapped three pieces of cloth around the baby’s neck, covered her mouth, and carried her to Malam Yaro bush.
There, she dug a shallow hole and buried the infant alive.
The baby was rescued after a farmer, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, noticed freshly disturbed soil while working on his farm near Malam Yaro village.
Suspecting something unusual, he raised the alarm, and with the help of others, they dug up the ground and found the baby still alive.
The child was rushed to the General Hospital in Kamba, where doctors confirmed she was stable after receiving treatment.
Police spokesman Nafiu Abubakar said detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department arrested Maryam shortly after the report. She has since confessed to the act.
Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, Bello M. Sani, condemned the incident and vowed that the command would show “zero tolerance against any form of child abuse, exploitation, and gender-based violence” in the state.
