3 Children Die Inside Parked Car, 1 Other Drowns In Borno

The Borno State Police Command has launched an investigation into the tragic death of three children found in a parked car in Maiduguri, the state capital.

It was reported that the victims, identified as two-year-old Fatima (also known as Mama); three-year-old Anwar, and a neighbour’s son, were reportedly abducted on Tuesday by an unidentified woman who lured them with promises of alms.

Their father, Babagana Zanna Jaridama, a social media critic and supporter of Governor Babagana Zulum, was searching for his children and even offered to surrender himself in exchange for their safe return.

However, in a twist of the abduction narrative, he later discovered their bodies on Thursday night in his old vehicle parked in his compound.

The police have taken the bodies to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Borno State Police Commissioner, CP Nazir Abdulmajid confirmed the incident and assured that investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths.

The Command, in a statement on Friday by its Police Command Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Kenneth Daso, described the death of the three children as sudden and unnatural.

The PPRO said one Baba Zannah Jaridama, male, of Zannari Ali Ngoshe Area, Mafa local government area alongside his neighbor, Muhammad Bukar of the same address, reported the missing children at Kaleri Police Outpost.

He gave the names of the children as Anwar Baba Zannah ‘m’, 3 years old; Mama Baba Zannah ‘f’, 1 year 5 months old and Ahmed Muhammad ‘m’, 5 years old.

Daso said following initial investigations and circulation of information to all police formations, the whereabouts of the children remained unknown.

He however, said on 24th September, 2025, at about 10:30pm, the complainant, Jaridama returned to the outpost station to report that the corpses of the missing children were discovered inside his Honda Civic car where it was parked.

The PPRO said Police operatives swiftly mobilised to the scene and evacuated the victims to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), where a medical doctor confirmed them dead.

He added that the corpses have since been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary for autopsy.

“The Commissioner of Police, CP Naziru Abdulmajid, has ordered a discreet investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding this unfortunate incident,” the PPRO said.

In another instance, 12-year-old Abba Umar, a son of a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Borno State Council, drowned Friday morning in River Ngadda in Jere local government area of the state.

The father, an information officer with the State Ministry of Works announced the death in a post, “I’m sad to announce the drowning of my 12-year-old son, Abba Umar this morning Friday 26th September, 2025, in River Ngadda behind Abba gana Terab 505 Housing Estate, Jere. Help us with prayers to recover the body.”

CP Abdulmajid extended the Command’s deepest condolences to the bereaved families and assured the public that the outcome of the investigation will be communicated in due course.

The Command urged members of the public to remain calm and continue to cooperate with the Police by providing credible and timely information.