The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested a 27-year-old woman, Precious Yohanna, over the alleged killing of her newborn baby in the Jabi area of Abuja.
The suspect was arrested after the lifeless body of a male infant was discovered in a bush near Jabi, the police said.
The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, October 8, 2026.
According to the statement, the police received a distress call at about 10:30pm on October 4 about an abandoned baby in the area.
Operatives were immediately deployed to the scene, where they found the infant with deep wounds around the throat and abdomen.
The baby was rushed to a nearby hospital, but medical personnel confirmed that he had died.
Following the discovery, the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, ordered a manhunt for the person responsible for the infant’s death.
The police said community members assisted investigators in tracing Yohanna, who was subsequently arrested.
Preliminary investigation, according to the command, revealed that Yohanna gave birth to the baby inside her room at about 4pm on October 3.
She allegedly used a razor blade to inflict fatal injuries on the newborn before abandoning the body.
The police said the suspect, a native of Riyam in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State and a resident of the Daki-Biu/Jabi area of Abuja, confessed to the alleged act.
According to the command, she told investigators that she committed the act out of hatred for the baby’s father.
The FCT Police Command condemned the incident, describing it as a grave and unacceptable violation of the sanctity of human life.
The command also commended residents who assisted in identifying and apprehending the suspect, assuring the public that the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death would be thoroughly investigated.
Yohanna remains in police custody and will be charged to court after the conclusion of investigations, the police said.
The command further urged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities or incidents to the nearest police station or through its emergency lines.
