4-month baby snatched from sister as girl, 12, escapes abduction in Niger

Residents of Dakwa in Tafa area council of Niger State are yet to recover from the shock of the abduction of a four-month-old baby in the area.   

Samhat Kabiru was reportedly snatched from her elder sibling, who had taken her out of their compound located off Layin-Hausawa, in the town. 

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Mother of the missing child, Fatima Kabiru, said the baby was on her back when she was washing clothes around 9 am on the fateful day when she noticed that the baby was not comfortable with the condition.  

“So I put her on the back of her elder sibling who is five years old. But somehow, the girl went out with the baby. On realizing that, I went out to look for her – checking two houses of our neighbours but could not see them.” 

“I later located her at a nearby street screaming, and on sighting me she burst into tears, saying mummy somebody has snatched our baby from my back, and zoomed off through this corridor. 

“We rushed toward the direction but could not locate the person,” Fatima added.  

The mother further said the matter was reported to the police outpost in the community adding, however, that there has not been any positive development so far.  

As the residents were yet to recover from the incident, another attempt was made to abduct a 12-year-old girl.

The girl, Maryam Umar, while narrating her experience to North Central Trust, said it happened in front of their home in Unguwar Kamba, around 2pm. 

“The man was sitting inside a vehicle, and on sighting me coming out of our home, he rushed toward me and poured some substance over me, which made me feel weak and pain in my eyes. He warned me that he would stab me with a knife if I made any noise. However, I resisted as he was dragging me toward his vehicle. I struggled and  slipped out of  his grip,’’ Maryam added. 

A restaurant owner in the area, Asiya Nuhu, who was seen along with the girl during this interview, said Maryam used to assist her in handling some minor chores.  

“And incidentally I was with her mother here, when the incident happened,” she explained. 

She said they were notified about the development and immediately met the girl at a clinic unconscious, with foam coming out from her mouth and nose. 

“The doctor said she was poisoned.’’  

Commenting, the Sarkin Hausawa of Dakwa, Alhaji Aliyu Shehu, said there were similar cases about child thieves in the area, but the recent happening was more shocking and inhuman.