Residents of Tudun Tagarji, Kano State, were left in disbelief on Saturday after a newborn baby was found abandoned in a carton near a drainage in the Kaura area.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by the leader of the Operation Zaman Lafiya vigilante group, Commander Rabiu Sulaiman, the disturbing discovery occurred during a routine patrol at around 2 a.m.
He described the moment his team encountered the unsettling scene, “Yesterday, around 2 a.m., while we were on patrol, we came across a shocking incident inside a pit very close to us. Upon close observation, we noticed a disposed carton, but we had no idea what was inside it. To clear our doubt and be sure nothing harmful was kept there, I instructed my boys to open the carton, and behold, upon opening it, we saw a baby already dead.”
After discovering the baby, the vigilante group informed community leaders and contacted the police.
“We invited the ward head to come and see for himself, along with other members of the community, before conveying the baby to the police station and informing them,” Sulaiman said.
The police then directed them to a hospital, where doctors confirmed that the baby had passed away.
The vigilante group subsequently organized burial rites for the baby, in line with Islamic practices.
“We came back home and organized burial rites for the baby in accordance with Islamic teachings,” Sulaiman added.
The commander also used the opportunity to call on vigilante groups to stay vigilant in protecting their communities and urged parents to guide their children, especially young women, to prevent unwanted pregnancies.
“Unwanted pregnancy contradicts Islamic teachings. Parents must monitor their children’s movements and guide them properly,” he stressed.
