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A young couple from Rijiyar Lemo in Fagge local government area of Kano State when has been alleged to have strangulated their newborn baby girl.
It was gathered that their baby was killed by the mother, Faiza Haruna, three days after she put to bed with the consent of her husband, Aminu Mustapha in which they thereafter buried her in their neighbourhood.
The couple committed this dastardly act after they got married two months ago and the wife gave birth to a baby girl last weekend.
A neighbour revealed how Faiza delivered the baby at home without the help of any medical personnel saying “During the pregnancy, she didn’t attend any antenatal clinic. It was we that assisted her during child labour. She delivered the baby safely and we assisted her with all the necessary cleaning up.”
The neighbour who spoke on condition of anonymity further said, “Hours after given birth, Faiza started telling people that the baby was sick. We advised her to take the baby to hospital but three days later, she and her husband returned home without the baby. We drew the attention of Hisbah officials and they were arrested because we suspected foul play.”
At the Hisbah office, Faiza confessed that she killed the baby. Hisbah commandant in Fagge local government, Ustaz Salisu Umar, said the couple killed the baby to cover up their premarital affairs.
It was gathered that the Hisbah operatives handed over the couple to the police after their preliminary investigations.
In her confessional statement in Kano State police headquarters, Faiza disclosed why she killed the baby.
“I gave birth to the baby and killed her myself. I did so to avoid embarrassment from members of our community. I was impregnated by my husband before we got married,” she explained.
She said: “I didn’t use anything; it was my bare hands that I used in killing her. I went into my room when my husband was not around and strangulated her.” She revealed that her husband did not take part in killing the baby, but assisted by burying the corpse. Her husband, Aminu Mustapha, 29, admitted to burying the baby.
Confirming the incidence, the Spokesman of the Kano police command, ASP Magaji Musa Majia, said the couple would be arraigned for prosecution accordingly.
“The husband is not denying the fact that he impregnated her outside wedlock. She killed the baby because she delivered it two months after marriage. This is a case of culpable homicide and abetment of offender. They are in our custody and we will charge them to court immediately after investigation,” he said