The Kaduna State Police Command has arrested a woman, Zaliha Shuaibu, for the alleged murder of her co-wife’s three-month-old baby boy in Malari Village, Soba Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The tragic incident occurred on May 13, 2025, within the household shared by the suspect, her husband, and the infant’s mother, Maryam Ibrahim.
In a statement issued on Friday, the command’s spokesperson, Mansir Hassan, revealed that Maryam had briefly stepped out to use the bathroom, leaving her infant son alone in her room. On her return, she found Zaliha holding the baby. When the child was handed back, he was in distress—foaming at the mouth and with a visible injury to his neck.
Alarmed, the family rushed the baby to the village hospital, where he was sadly confirmed dead.
“Preliminary investigations indicated that the suspect, Zaliha Shuaibu, was responsible for the baby’s death,” Hassan stated. “She later confessed to administering acid on the child, an act she claimed was carried out in conspiracy with her husband’s younger brother, Lawal Muhammad, who is currently on the run.”
According to the police, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Soba promptly acted on the report, leading to the arrest of the suspect. During interrogation, Shuaibu admitted to the crime and disclosed the involvement of Muhammad, who allegedly supplied the acid used in the murder.
The Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, CP Rabiu Muhammad, has condemned the act, assuring the public that justice will be pursued with full vigor. He emphasized that all individuals involved in the heinous crime will be brought to book.
The command also urged members of the public to remain calm and assist with any information that could lead to the arrest of the fleeing suspect.