FCT police arrest woman over newborn’s death

ABUJA — The Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Precious Yohanna, in connection with the death of her newborn baby in the Jabi area of Abuja.

The command said the infant was found abandoned in a bush on October 4, 2026, with injuries to the throat and abdomen.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

According to Adeh, the command received a distress call at about 10:30pm on October 4, reporting the discovery of an abandoned baby in a bush near Jabi.

She said police operatives from Jabi Division were immediately deployed to the scene, where they recovered the lifeless body of a male infant.

“The infant was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where he was confirmed dead by a medical team on duty,” Adeh said.

Following the incident, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, ordered a manhunt for the suspect.

Adeh said, with the assistance of members of the immediate community, police traced and arrested Yohanna, a native of Riyam in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State and resident of the Daki-Biu/Jabi area of the FCT.

She said preliminary investigation indicated that Yohanna gave birth to the baby inside her room on October 3 at about 4pm.

The police spokesperson alleged that the suspect subsequently inflicted injuries on the newborn with a razor blade.

Adeh added that the suspect, during interrogation, reportedly told investigators that she carried out the act because of her alleged hatred for the baby’s father.

The police did not provide further details on the circumstances surrounding the alleged act.

The Commissioner of Police commended members of the community for assisting the police in identifying and arresting the suspect.

He condemned the incident and assured the public that the command would conduct a thorough investigation.

The suspect remains in police custody and, according to the command, will be charged to court upon the conclusion of investigations.

The command also urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, activities or incidents to the nearest police station or through its emergency lines.