For most women, the first sign of pregnancy is the absence of their monthly flow, but for 36-year-old Khadijah Aliu, who was recently arrested by the FCT Police Command for abandoning her day-old baby, her monthly flow never ceased till she carried her pregnancy to term.

So, after a pronounced divorce, she left behind four children she had for her husband in Makarfi Village in Kaduna State, determined to survive the pains of being rejected.

She made her way to Mpape Area in Abuja, where she once lived with her family. But a shocker awaited her: she discovered she was pregnant shortly after arrival in the Federal Capital Territory.

With no communication with her four children or any strong means of survival, she struggled through the pregnancy, delivered the baby herself and abandoned her at a spot where she could be seen easily. However, her action led to her arrest, while the baby was rescued.

Khadijah explained to the Sunday Tribune on what led her to such an act. She said that she left her husband’s house with almost nothing, save the little cash she could get after he declared a divorce in line with his belief. According to her, she and her husband had a bitter quarrel, and in addition to the harsh living condition she was in, she had to leave.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, in a statement, had informed the public of the recovery of a day-old baby abandoned along a bush path near Crush Rock, behind an uncompleted Red Bricks Market, Mpape.

According to her, “On January 3, 2025, at about 10 am, police operatives from Mpape Division’s Juvenile and Women Care Section (JWC) responded to a distress call and found the baby wrapped in a cloth.

“The child was promptly rescued and taken to Mpape Primary Health Care Centre, where medical evaluation confirmed the baby is in stable condition.

“Following a tip-off from the community, the baby’s mother, Khadija Aliu, was arrested. During interrogation, she confessed to abandoning the baby, citing her inability to care for the child following her husband’s abandonment.”

The PPRO had added: “The FCT Police Command vehemently condemns this act of child abandonment and reassures the public of its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of society.

“The rescued baby will be handed over to the Department of Social Welfare for proper care, while the mother will face prosecution according to the provisions of sections 14 and 16 of the Child Rights Act (CRA) 2003 upon the conclusion of investigation.”

Khadijah told Sunday Tribune: “My father is from Gombe State while my mother is from Obubra, Cross River State. I met my ex-husband when I was living with my elder sister in Zaria, Kaduna State. We married about 12 or 13 years ago. I had four children before I gave birth to the last one that brought me into the situation I’m currently in. I was staying with my husband in his village at Makarfi, Kaduna.”

“I didn’t know I was pregnant even before the divorce. I was having my monthly period. We were always having problems with each other. It was an everyday quarrel and fighting, primarily because of money. He was not treating me well, and I asked him to give me my money [N9,000] with him, but he refused. I was doing menial jobs to get money to survive on.

“We started arguing. I tried to search his pocket if I would find money in it, but he threatened me that I would die. As my uncle-in-law’s wife called me and I turned, my man dragged and threw me off. We both fell and he was on top, he beat me and we started fighting. Other women came and rescued me from him. I stood up and he started cursing my mother. I insulted his mother in turn.

“He was very angry that I mentioned his mother’s name so he declared that he had divorced me. He left the house for some days. After selling my mattress and getting my money from him, I left the village for the place we were initially staying in Abuja. I left the four children I had for him because there was no way they would survive with me having nothing to feed them with. They are between three and 11 years old.

“I came back to the uncompleted building we once stayed in at Mpape. It was when I got there that I knew that I was pregnant. I used to have a kind of stomach pain. I noticed it and knew that I could be pregnant.

“As I fetched water for workers and made little money, I went to a hospital. After going through tests, I was told that I was pregnant. I was told to register in a clinic and go for ultrasound to know how many months the pregnancy was, but I didn’t have any money. I was used to not going to ante-natal clinic because my husband gave me money to do so for only the first pregnancy. I had the three children that followed by myself, with no assistance from anyone. I was the one who would bring out the baby, cut the umbilical cord from the placenta and clean the blood before calling anyone.

“This time also, I went through the delivery alone. I started having labour pains on January 1. The following day, it continued. I went to fetch firewood and returned. On my way back, I felt mucous coming out of my private part. I went to my room to lie down, and the labour pain increased, but I didn’t let anyone know.

“I dozed off but was awakened by pain. I took my kettle to go and urinate. I went to Bacha (wooden structure) where I kept my things, put pieces of cloth on the floor and started pushing until the baby came out. It was at about 12 noon.

“I covered the baby and went to my room to take pieces of rags and underwear to take care of the blood flow. Thereafter, I laid down and rested. I started crying uncontrollably. I wiped my tears, went for a razor blade and thread, cut the placenta and tied the end of the umbilical cord attached to the baby.

“I covered the baby up again, went to my room to rest, and started thinking about what to do with the baby, as I had nothing. I was only getting food that would just sustain me with the pregnancy. At night, I wore a cloth for the baby, gave her warm water, breastfed her. Later, I prayed for her, put her on my back and carried her to where I heard people talking.

“I laid her down, with the hope that one of them would see and take care of her. She woke up and started crying. I returned to my room but could not sleep. I was just crying. I thought of going back to carry her but I thought she must have been sighted by someone so I didn’t go. I later learnt that she was found the following day.

“I wanted to get something to eat when I heard the discussion about a baby abandoned. Then I knew that talk don burst. One of my neighbours and another woman came to me and said they noticed I was pregnant. I burst out crying and we wanted to go for the baby, but the woman who carried her had already taken her to the police station.”

Khadijah showered praises on the Divisional Police Officer who directed that she should be taken care of, saying: “The police officers would boil water for me in the morning and evening to take my bath. The baby was being given milk as I could not breastfeed her. I couldn’t contact the father as I didn’t have a phone, not to talk of money for transportation. I’ve not seen the four children that are in their father’s village also.”

She appealed to the government to give her a chance to have the baby back, promising to do her utmost best in taking care of her.