Police Arrest Self-Proclaimed Pastor, Accomplice Over Theft of One-Month-Old Infant in Niger

Operatives of the Niger State Police Command have arrested a 24-year-old man posing as a cleric, alongside a 22-year-old woman, for their alleged involvement in the abduction of a four-week-old baby in Minna, the state capital. The suspects, identified as Chidi Johnson (also known as “Yaron Pastor”) and Zainab Ibrahim, were apprehended following a swift investigation by detectives attached to the ‘A’ Division in Minna.

The incident began on July 13 when Johnson approached a nursing mother and her friend under the pretense that a wealthy benefactor wanted to gift them food items and charity. He successfully lured the unsuspecting mother and her infant to an uncompleted building near the Mobil Roundabout area. While inside the building, Johnson reportedly offered the women snacks and soft drinks to lower their guard. Under the guise of playing with the one-month-old child, he abruptly fled through a rear exit of the structure and escaped on a waiting motorcycle.

A formal complaint was lodged the following day, prompting police operatives to deploy technical intelligence to track down the suspect. Johnson was subsequently arrested at his residence in the Abdulsalam Quarters area of Minna. During interrogation, Johnson confessed to the crime, implicating Zainab Ibrahim, who resides in Sokoto State. He revealed that Ibrahim had contracted him to procure a newborn baby for her following a recent miscarriage she had suffered.

Following Johnson’s confession, police tracking teams closing in on the case successfully arrested Ibrahim. The abducted infant has been safely rescued by authorities and reunited with the mother. Officials confirmed that both suspects remain in custody and will face prosecution in court as soon as preliminary investigations are concluded.