Bauchi woman arrested for kidnapping newborn and killing two girls

The Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a 19-year-old woman, Esther Gambo, over the alleged abduction and murder of two children in Toro Local Government Area.

According to a press statement issued on Thursday by Police Public Relations Officer SP Ahmed Wakil, Esther, a resident of Lemoro Village, reportedly lured two seven-year-old girls, Khadija Sama’ila and A’isha Dahiru, from Unguwan Sarkin Yaki.

Wakil said law enforcement officers, working with local vigilantes, swiftly launched an operation that led to the discovery of the victims’ bodies, the arrest of the suspect, and the rescue of a kidnapped infant.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Esther had targeted a newborn girl belonging to Nafisa Dahiru. After abducting the baby, she allegedly led the two older girls to a nearby maize farm and murdered them with a machete before fleeing.

The horrific incident triggered outrage in the community, particularly among local Muslim youths, sparking violent protests. The unrest saw several churches set ablaze and an attempt to attack the Tulu Divisional Police Headquarters.

Police reinforcements from Toro and surrounding divisions were deployed to contain the situation. A total of 16 individuals have since been arrested in connection with the violence. Among them are: Abbas Abdullahi (20), Mubarak Auwal (19), Abdullahi Muhammad alias “P.A” (19), Dauda Abdullahi (19), Abubakar Sama’ila (18), Abdulmutallib Ibrahim (18), Yazid Auwal (20), Abdulrahman Ibrahim (17), Abdulwahid Sulaiman (17), Salihu Shuaibu (20), Sirajo Halliru (24), Musayib Abdullahi (21), Ibrahim Abubakar (19), Esther Idi (19), Gambo Yakubu (20), and Idi Bitrus (50).

Commissioner of Police Sani-Omolori Aliyu condemned the killing and the retaliatory violence. He urged citizens to allow the law to take its course and cautioned against vigilante justice, emphasizing that law enforcement must remain the responsibility of trained professionals.

He assured the public that a full investigation is ongoing and appealed for calm as authorities continue handling the matter.