By Emmanuel Ogbodo
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Police Command has arrested Khadija Ali for allegedly abandoning her day-old baby in Mpape, Abuja.
The infant was found wrapped in cloth along a bush path near Crush Rock, behind the uncompleted Red Bricks Market, at about 10 a.m. on January 3, 2025.
Police operatives from the Mpape Division’s Juvenile and Women Care Section responded to a distress call, rescuing the baby and taking them to Mpape Primary Health Care Centre for medical evaluation.
According to SP Josephine Adeh, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, medical personnel confirmed that the baby is in stable condition.
Following a tip-off from residents, police arrested Khadija Ali, who admitted to abandoning the child due to financial hardship after her husband deserted her.
SP Adeh condemned the act as a serious violation of the Child Rights Act, 2003, stating that Ali would be prosecuted under Sections 14 and 16 of the Act.
“The FCT Police Command vehemently condemns this act of child abandonment and reassures the public of its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of society,” the statement read.
The rescued baby will be placed in the care of the Department of Social Welfare to ensure safety and well-being.
