The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested 19-year-old Khadija Ibrahim for allegedly faking a nine-month pregnancy and stealing a newborn baby in Rikoto, Zuru Local Government Area of the state.

The suspect allegedly used a clever ruse to execute the crime on July 23, 2026, moments after the child`s biological mother, Fatima Muhammad, gave birth.

According to a public statement issued on Sunday by the command`s spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, the teenage suspect had offered to help the nursing mother fetch hot water before fleeing with the infant.

Preliminary police investigations revealed that Ibrahim committed the act due to intense societal pressure over her inability to conceive, especially as many of her peers had already started families.

To cope with the pressure, she successfully deceived her husband for nine months into believing she was pregnant. Immediately after stealing Muhammad`s baby, Ibrahim returned home and presented the infant to her husband as their newborn child.

The suspect`s web of lies unraveled following a sustained investigation by security operatives. Ibrahim was tracked down and arrested on August 14, 2026.

The stolen infant was safely recovered and has since been reunited with the biological mother.

The Kebbi State Commissioner of Police, CP Umar M. Hadejia, highly commended the investigating officers for their diligence and professionalism in securing the child`s safe return.

The police command confirmed that the suspect remains in custody and will be formally arraigned in court once the investigation is fully completed.