Mother arrested for dumping newborn in drainage

A housewife, Barkisu Sulaiman, has been arrested by residents of Karaworo-Lokoja for allegedly throwing her newborn baby into a drainage.

She was apprehended following a tip-off from a woman in the Kabawa area of Lokoja, who is said to be a close confidante of the suspect.

“Touched by the condition of the abandoned baby, her friend rushed to an elderly man in Karaworo-Lokoja and confessed to him the crime committed by Barkisu.

“She told the elderly man that Barkisu once mentioned that she was carrying a seven-month pregnancy for one of her ailing husband’s servants residing in Adankolo-Lokoja,” a resident of Karaworo-Lokoja, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

She added that the alleged father of her friend’s baby, who is reportedly at large, had denied responsibility and advised her to terminate it.

Following this, residents took action against Barkisu and arrested her. She allegedly confessed that she threw her one-day-old baby into the gutter because she had cheated on her ailing husband.

State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Paul Igweibuke, confirmed her arrest on Wednesday.

“She is in our custody, and investigation is in progress,” Igweibuke said.