A woman has been arrested in Yobe State after a newborn baby girl was allegedly strangled to death and abandoned behind a mosque in Damaturu, drawing rare public condemnation from the state's police commissioner.
The Yobe State Police Command confirmed the arrest on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, in a statement by its spokesperson, SP Dungus Abdulkarim.
Two suspects are currently in custody, with investigations underway.
According to the command, operatives of its Violent Crime Response Unit responded to a distress call at approximately 4:10 pm on Tuesday after residents reported finding the concealed remains of a newborn behind a mosque in the Anguwar Boka area of Damaturu, the state capital.
What they found when they arrived was heartbreaking. A baby girl had been strangled to death. Her small body had been placed in a box and left behind the mosque, out of sight, as though she had never existed at all.
Preliminary investigations led police to a female suspect who had recently given birth. She was arrested, along with a second suspect whose role is still being determined as investigations continue.
In a statement that was unusually direct in its moral language, Abdulkarim quoted the command's position in full:
"The Yobe State Police Command has condemned in strong terms any act capable of causing grievous harm, particularly against infants and vulnerable persons. The Command notes with concern incidents involving abandoned newborn babies and reiterates that every child born has inherent rights under the law and deserves protection, care, and dignity. Any person found culpable of violating these rights will be made to face the full weight of the law."
The statement further noted: "Preliminary investigation revealed that a female suspect, who recently gave birth to the baby, was allegedly involved in an incident where the child was strangled and the remains concealed in a box before being abandoned behind a mosque at Anguwar Boka area of Damaturu. Following swift police action, two suspects were arrested and are currently assisting the investigation. The case remains under investigation as the Command continues to gather facts and ensure that justice is served."
Commissioner of Police CP Usman Kanfani Jibrin added his voice to the condemnation. "The CP described the incident as a heinous and inhuman act, stressing that every human life is precious and must be protected. The CP warned that the Command will not tolerate any act of violence against children or any vulnerable person, and anyone found responsible will be prosecuted in accordance with the law," the statement read.
The identity of the suspect has not been made public, and the circumstances that led to the alleged killing have not yet been disclosed by investigators. The full facts, the command said, are still being gathered.
The investigation continues
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