THE Nasarawa State Police Command has arrested a final-year student of the College of Education, Akwanga, for allegedly abandoning her newborn baby in a bush near a primary school in the Akwanga Local Government Area.
The baby, wrapped in a piece of cloth, was discovered on Wednesday morning near AA Koto Street, close to a local primary school. Concerned residents, who heard the baby’s cries, rushed to the scene and were shocked to find the infant still alive. They quickly alerted the police and local authorities.
Confirming the development to News Point Nigeria in Lafia on Thursday, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, said the mother of the baby had been identified and arrested.
“The mother of the baby has been identified and arrested. The Commissioner of Police has ordered the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lafia for thorough investigation and prosecution,” Nansel told reporters.
The suspect, whose identity is being withheld for legal reasons, is said to be a final-year NCE student preparing for her last semester examinations.
The incident has triggered outrage across Akwanga, with residents expressing shock over what they describe as a disturbing trend of newborn abandonment.
“This is heartbreaking. We can’t understand how someone would carry a baby for nine months and just leave the child to die,” said Mrs. Hauwa Isa, a trader who lives near the scene.
Local activists have called for stronger enforcement of child protection laws and more support systems for young mothers who face social or economic challenges.
The case adds to a string of similar incidents across Nigeria, sparking renewed debate about child welfare and mental health awareness for expectant mothers.
In July 2025, a farmer in Kamba town, Dandi Local Government Area of Kebbi State, made a chilling discovery when he found a newborn baby girl buried alive on his farmland.
The farmer, Kabiru Kamba, said he noticed an unusual ridge on his land, dug it up with help from others, and found the baby crying but miraculously still alive.
The child was later placed in his custody by the local government council, and Kamba and his wife, who had just welcomed a child of their own, offered to raise the rescued baby as part of their family.
Child rights advocates argue that such cases highlight a growing need for public education, access to family planning, and psychosocial support for vulnerable women and girls.
The Nasarawa State Police Command has promised to pursue the case to its logical conclusion. The suspect will face prosecution once investigations by the SCID are concluded.
The Commissioner of Police also urged residents to continue to provide timely information that could help security agencies intervene in such cases before they turn fatal.