*And a woman arrested for kidnapping a day old baby

MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano

Umar Mohammed and Mustapha Idris, both officers with Kano state Fire Service, northwest Nigeria are in trouble for kidnapping and raping an eight-year old girl.

Kano state Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Idris said the duo conspired and kidnapped the minor, raped her and demanded for a ransom of N1 million from her father, while at the same time negotiating for another ransom from the girl’s mother.

While Umar was paraded by the police on Monday, Mustapha who evaded arrest is being trailed by a special team of police men from the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID.

According to the police boss, Umar and Mustapha, both staff of Kano state Fire Service, serving at Sharada and Gaya stations respectively, conspired and kidnapped an eight-year old girl from Dala Local Government Area in Kano from her parents house.

“They went and hid their victim inside the room of Mustapha Idris at Sabuwar Gandu quarters, Kano, where Umar Mohammed, a.k.a Pele raped her severely. The suspect went further and make a phone call to the father of the victim and demanded for a ransom of one million Naira.

“The mother was also asked to pay unspecified amount of money as the girl was kidnapped and hidden inside hills at Daura, Katsina state. With the assistance of a good Samaritan, the police arrested Umar Mohammed, while the victim was recovered and taken to hospital where she was treated and discharged. She has been reunited with her parents,” Idris stated.

Also, a 36-year old woman, Bara’atu Muhammed of Gwarzo Local Government was also paraded by the police for stealing a baby from the hospital.

Police said Bara’atu went to Gwarzo General Hospital Maternity section and stole a newly born baby boy delivered by 16-year old Jamila Dahiru of Agalawan Yamma in Gwarzo town.

“Bara’atu deceived the mother to collect the infant telling her that it was her grandmother Dije that sent her to take the boy outside for fresh air. She took him to her village and claimed that she delivered a baby boy. Her lie was exposed when an elder brother to her husband asked her whether it was the missing child from Gwarzo and she answered in the affirmative.

“During investigation, the child was recovered from her and re-united with his biological mother. The suspect confessed to the crime and stated that she resorted to the act because she has never born a child in her life. She will be charged to court for prosecution as soon as investigation is completed,” Idris stated.

Bara’atu who regretted her action said she was pushed into stealing the baby by the manipulations of the devil.

“I am barren, I have never born a child in my life. I needed to carry a baby and call him my own. I carried the baby to my home for three days, but when it dawned on me that it is not my real child and Allah spoke to me through my dream, I decided to return the baby back to the hospital,” she said.