An herbalist, Abubakar Saleh has been arrested by the Katsina State Police Command for allegedly strangling a newborn baby and dumping its corpse in a latrine. The mother of the baby, Fatima Garba, who was Saleh’s concubine was also detained.


The spokesman for the command, DSP Gambo Isah, said the incident happened in Gyaza village, in the Kafur Local Government Area of the state.

He noted that Fatima had a dispute with her husband, Sule Abubakar, and was sent out of her matrimonial home.

He said, “Fatima consulted the herbalist, who assured her that her husband would take her back.

“True to the herbalist’s words, Fatima’s husband recalled her, which made her to trust the herbalist. She started frequenting the man’s house. The man began sleeping with her, which resulted in a pregnancy.”

He said other wives of her husband noticed the pregnancy and mocked her.

After she gave birth, she reportedly took the baby to the herbalist, who allegedly strangled it and threw the corpse inside the latrine.

Isah said the police got wind of the incident and recovered the baby’s remains in the latrine. He added that the police had started investigation.