A couple from Nigeria has been apprehended and is currently under custody by the Adamawa State Police Command after they were allegedly involved in the killing of their newborn and disposing of the body in a dumpster in Yola on July 8.
The suspects, Blessing Ben and Luka Iliyasu, had been in a relationship for two years before Blessing became pregnant. Luka, who resides in the Police barracks in Yola, was identified as the father of the child.
As per SP Suleiman Yahaya-Nguroje, the Police Command’s spokesperson, “Blessing was impregnated by her boyfriend, Luka, a resident of Police barracks Yola, after two years of courtship.”
During a statement to reporters in Yola on Tuesday, Blessing, who resides in the Jambutu region of Yola North Local Government area, denied killing the baby, claiming that it was born prematurely.
“I had a safe and peaceful delivery, but the baby was lifeless, hence my decision to dispose of it in the dustbin. When I discovered that it was a stillbirth, I kept the corpse for two days before I eventually disposed of it in the dustbin, and even my aunt, with whom I have been living, was unaware of my pregnancy throughout the nine months,” she revealed to the media.
The investigation is ongoing, and once it is concluded, the suspects will face charges in court, according to a police official.