The Ogun State Police Command is looking into the abandonment of a newborn in front of Blessed Clinic in Oru Ijebu, located in the Ijebu North Local Government Area. The baby, estimated to be no older than 40 days, was left at the clinic around 6:45 a.m. on Friday 22/11/24.
The clinic owner found the baby, gave it immediate medical attention, and informed the Oru Police Division about the incident.
The police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the ongoing investigation and called on the public for help in identifying the mother.
“The hospital’s medical doctor reported the abandoned child to our division, and we immediately took action.
We have initiated an investigation to identify those involved in the incident. Meanwhile, the child is receiving proper medical care at the hospital. Our primary concern is the child’s welfare as we work tirelessly to determine the details of the abandonment,” she stated
Child abandonment is a recurring issue in Nigeria. In 2022, a baby girl who could neither walk nor talk was found outside a shop on Tajudeen Bello Street, Giwa Oke-Aro Road, Ogun State.
After being turned away by several orphanages, the child was placed in police custody at the Agbado Division. Similarly, in January 2024, Olubunmi Ajayi was arrested for attempting to drown her five-month-old baby in a river near Remo Secondary School in Sagamu.
The baby was saved by a passerby, Olusola Sonaya, who witnessed the incident. The Ogun State Police Command continues to urge residents to report suspicious activities to help prevent such cases.
The authorities have promised to seek justice for abandoned children and offer the necessary support to safeguard them.
