Residents of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, have expressed growing concern over the increasing incidence of newborn babies being abandoned at refuse dump sites across the city.
The latest incident occurred in the Kpansia suburb of Yenagoa, where residents woke up to the shocking discovery of a newborn baby dumped at a refuse collection point. The incident has sparked outrage and renewed calls for urgent intervention by relevant authorities.
In a similar development, another newborn baby was recently found abandoned at a refuse dump in the Azikoro area of the state capital, raising fears that the disturbing trend is becoming increasingly common.
Speaking to Niger Delta Herald, several residents condemned the act, describing it as inhumane and unacceptable. They stressed that individuals who are unable or unwilling to care for children should seek appropriate assistance rather than resorting to abandoning innocent babies in such dangerous circumstances.
One of the residents, Mrs. Onome Diekevie, lamented the recurring incidents and called on security agencies, community leaders, and social welfare authorities to intensify surveillance and public awareness campaigns to curb the menace.
“It is heartbreaking to hear about newborn babies being dumped like refuse. Authorities need to be more vigilant, while communities should also pay closer attention to suspicious activities around them. This trend must be stopped,” she said.
Also reacting to the development, an environmentalist and refuse contractor to the Bayelsa State Government, Mr. Bright Ayebakari, decried the increasing cases of babies being abandoned at refuse disposal sites.
Ayebakari described the situation as disturbing and a reflection of deeper social and moral challenges that require collective action from government, families, religious institutions, and civil society organizations.
According to him, sanitation workers engaged in waste collection across the state occasionally make shocking discoveries while carrying out their duties.
“Beyond abandoned newborn babies, our workers have at different times discovered medical waste, dead babies and even amputated human body parts among refuse deposited in public waste receptacles meant for domestic waste collection,” he disclosed.
He explained that the improper disposal of medical waste poses serious environmental and public health risks, stressing that such materials are classified as controlled waste and must be handled according to established safety regulations.
Ayebakari noted that hospitals, clinics, laboratories and other healthcare facilities have a responsibility to ensure that hazardous medical materials are properly treated and disposed of through approved channels rather than being mixed with household refuse.
“The disposal of medical waste alongside ordinary refuse is dangerous and unacceptable. Healthcare institutions must comply with waste management regulations to protect both public health and the environment,” he stated.
Residents have called on the Bayelsa State Government, relevant health authorities and law enforcement agencies to investigate the recurring incidents, identify those responsible and strengthen measures aimed at protecting vulnerable children and ensuring proper waste management practices across the state.
The recent discoveries have once again highlighted the need for greater public enlightenment on child welfare, reproductive health, responsible parenting and safe waste disposal practices in Bayelsa State.
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