Residents of Tudun Tagarji in Kano State were shocked on Saturday after the lifeless body of a newborn was discovered abandoned in a carton near a drainage in the Kaura area.
Commander Rabiu Sulaiman, leader of the Operation Zaman Lafiya vigilante group, shared the details of the grim discovery in a statement on Sunday.
According to Sulaiman, the group found the carton during their routine patrol at approximately 2 a.m.
“We were on patrol when we came across a carton lying near a pit. At first, we weren’t sure what it contained, so I instructed my team to open it. To our shock, inside the carton was a dead baby,” Sulaiman explained.
After the discovery, the vigilante group alerted local leaders and subsequently contacted the police.
They invited the ward head and other community members to witness the scene before taking the baby to the police station.
Following the police’s instructions, they took the infant to a nearby hospital, where it was confirmed that the baby had already passed away.
The vigilante group then arranged for the baby’s burial in accordance with Islamic customs.
Sulaiman also took the opportunity to encourage greater vigilance among local vigilante groups and called on parents to play an active role in preventing unwanted pregnancies, emphasizing that “Islamic teachings do not condone unwanted pregnancies,” and advising parents to keep a close watch over their children’s activities.