In many isolated villages outside Nigeria's capital, a missionary couple is racing to stop the secret killing of babies branded "evil" because of twins, disabilities, or local taboos.
For nearly three decades, Steven Olusola and Chinwe Ajayi have taken in children marked for death in communities around Abuja, where some families still believe twins, babies whose mothers die in childbirth, children with albinism, or infants with certain birth defects bring misfortune.
In 2004, they founded Vine Heritage Home, a shelter for babies at risk of ritual infanticide, and today they care for hundreds of children who might otherwise have been poisoned, abandoned, or buried alive.
Old beliefs, new resistance
In parts of the Bassa Komo and other communities in central Nigeria, deeply rooted spiritual beliefs still label some newborns as spirits or omens instead of full human beings, according to The Guardian.
Babies born as twins, those with visible disabilities, those whose mothers die in childbirth, or infants whose teeth erupt "the wrong way" are sometimes seen as a threat to the safety of the whole village. Local leaders have described offering such babies to traditional gods, saying they are trying to protect their people from witchcraft or future harm.
The Ajayis first learned about these killings in the 1990s, when they were called to rescue a baby believed to be cursed and destined for sacrifice.
Early on, they went from village to village, pleading with families to hand over children rather than kill them, often relying on quiet informants who warned them when twins or other "forbidden" babies were born. Over time, some communities began bringing babies directly to the home, a sign that attitudes were slowly changing.
Slow progress and ongoing dangers
Government agencies and charities have started to support the couple's work, launching campaigns such as "Eliminating Negative Cultural Practices" to confront infanticide through local leaders and education, Reuters reported.
Officials say they now receive fewer reports of ritual baby killings in parts of Abuja, and some villages that once rejected twins now allow them to live openly with their families.
In a few communities, new health centres and stronger links with churches and civil society groups have helped parents seek medical care instead of turning to harmful practices.
Yet the couple and their allies warn that the problem has not ended, only gone further out of sight. Activists still find fresh graves and hear stories of babies who "died" soon after birth, while some elders deny that infanticide ever took place.
With funding for outreach shrinking and suspicion of outsiders still strong, Steven and Chinwe continue to rely on trust built over years, hoping that each rescued child and each persuaded village brings them closer to ending the killing of so‑called "evil" babies for good, as per WWRN.
