33-year Old Internally Displaced Woman Delivers Quadruplet Despite Harsh Condition

Thirty-three-year-old Zainab Salisu, an internally displaced person (IDP) in Maradun camp, Zamfara, has been delivered of a set of quadruplets, two males and two females. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs. Salisu, who hailed from Gidan Dan-Guntu village in Maradun District, was delivered of the babies on Sunday, without complications.

The father of the quadruplets, Malam Salisu Muhammad, told journalists before the delivery that his wife only attended antenatal care only once at the Maradun General Hospital.

“Even then, her condition seemed normal, but she could not get back to the hospital due to fear of attacks by bandits and so we managed her at home since this was not her first pregnancy.

“We, however, noticed that this particular pregnancy was too big, but since she has had seven deliveries including a set of twins, we paid less attention.” He said the woman went into a brief labour in the early hours of Sunday and she was assisted by traditional birth attendants at the IDP.

He said that when he reported the development to the camp officials, they moved the mother and her quadruplets to Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau, the state capital. A medical personnel from Maradun Local Government who pleaded for anonymity told NAN that they decided to bring them to the hospital because “we believe they will receive better care.”

Zainab and her husband were among the more than 12,000 people displaced from nearly 20 communities in five local government areas of Maru, Maradun, Zurmi, Shinkafi and Anka, following nefarious activities of bandits in the last three months.