Members of a vigilante group on Tuesday morning discovered the lifeless remains of a newborn baby dumped in a manhole along Ikwerre Road by Ekwe axis of Mile 3 Diobu in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
The Chief Security Officer of Nkpolu-Orowurokwo attached to the Diobu vigilantes, Godstime Ihunwo, disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt on Tuesday.
Ihunwo said the baby was discovered while he and his men were on patrol at about 5 am saying on a closer look, they found out that the baby, a male child, was dead.
He stated, “At the early hours of today, July 23, 2024, at about 5 am, I and my team were on patrol. On getting to Ikwerre Road by Ekwe Street in Mile 3 Diobu, we discovered that a baby was dumped in a manhole.
“And we discovered that the baby was dead. It was a male. I quickly rushed to the Nkpolu Police Division to make an entry. I also contacted Prince Wiro, who is a human rights activist.”
Meanwhile, a rights group, the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, has condemned the action of the unidentified mother, describing it as the height of wickedness.
The National Coordinator, Prince Wiro, called on residents of the area who might have any information on the mother’s identity to report to the police for necessary action.
Wiro said, “It is sad that before the vigilance group discovered the infant male, he was already dead. The action of the mother of the child is a crime that is punishable under Nigerian law.
“We use this opportunity to urge residents who may have useful information about the identity of the child’s mother to report to the police for necessary action.”
Our correspondent reports that the lifeless body of the child could be seen without clothes from the manhole which was open as passers-by and motorists using the busy road stole glances at the scene, while those who summoned the courage to take a closer look were shocked at the discovery.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, saying an investigation had been launched to apprehend anyone behind the wicked act.
Iringe-Koko said, “Yes, the command is aware of it and we have started an investigation. The Divisional Police Officer has already contacted officials of the state environment agency to evacuate the baby.”
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