A nine-year-old married couple in Bara community, Kirfi Local Government Area of Bauchi State, has welcomed a set of triplets, with the father expressing concerns over how to cater to the growing family.

The 27-year-old father, Sa’idu Aliyu, who spoke with Arewa PUNCH after the birth of the babies on Tuesday, said he was happy with the arrival of the children but worried about the financial burden of raising them.

Aliyu, a resident of Bara village, said he already had three children before the arrival of the triplets, bringing the number of his children to six.

He said, “Although I am happy to welcome this gift from God, I am also worried about how to provide for the family. I already have three other children and now a triplet.

“My only source of income is farming, which I do on a small scale to provide for my family. My source of income is not strong enough to cater for such a large family.”

The father said although the birth attracted people to the healthcare facility to celebrate with the family, however, he remained concerned about the responsibilities that came with raising three newborns at once.

“People have been coming to the hospital to share in our joy, but even though it seems like something to celebrate, deep inside I know that it is not going to be easy for me. My source of income is not as strong,” he added.

On her part, the mother of the triplets, Hafsat Sa’idu, expressed happiness over the development, saying the arrival of the babies was unexpected.

“We never expected triplets. They are a surprise to us, but we are delighted to have them,” she said.

Also speaking, a volunteer midwife at the Bara Primary Healthcare Centre, Hadiza Abubakar, who assisted in the delivery, said the couple arrived at the facility on time.

Abubakar said both the mother and the babies were healthy and strong after the delivery.

Like Aliyu, she agreed that raising three newborns simultaneously would be challenging for the mother without adequate support.

“Both the mother and infants are healthy and strong. But as with giving birth to one child, the mother certainly cannot raise them alone. She will definitely need a helping hand,” she said.

The midwife described the couple as being from a poor background, and thus appealed to philanthropists and well-meaning individuals to support the family.

She said assistance in whatever form would go a long way in helping the parents cater tothe immediate needs of the triplets and their other children.