By Abdul Giwa
The Police in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, have rescued two babies abandoned in separate incidents in Kurudu and Gwagwalada areas of Abuja.
The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, disclosed this in a statement on Friday.
Adeh said the first incident occurred on Wednesday, September 2, when a Kurudu resident, identified as Mr Innocent, heard a baby crying around Obodo Street at about 5:30pm.
“Upon inspection, he discovered a baby carefully wrapped in a cloth and abandoned in a carton box,” she said.
Police officers from Kurudu Division, alongside personnel from the Juveniles and Women Care Department, JWC, rescued the baby boy and took him to a nearby hospital for medical assessment.
Adeh said the child was in stable condition and had subsequently been handed over to the Social Welfare Department for further care, while investigation into the circumstances surrounding the abandonment continued.
In a separate incident later that night, at about 9:40pm, another resident of Gwagwalada, Mr Ibrahim, heard a baby crying outside his gate.“Upon inspection, he discovered a baby who appeared to have been abandoned at the premises,” Adeh said.
She said Ibrahim, assisted by concerned members of the community, rescued the baby girl and reported the incident at Gwagwalada Police Station.
The child was subsequently taken to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital by officers of the JWC Department for medical examination and was receiving care pending handover to the Social Welfare Department.
The Command commended the two residents and members of the public who responded promptly to the abandoned children.
Adeh appealed to anyone with information that could help identify the babies’ mothers or relatives to contact the nearest police station or the FCT Police Public Relations Officer on 07038979348 or 08107314192.
“The Command calls on members of the public with any information that may assist in identifying the mothers or other family members of the abandoned babies to come forward and volunteer such information,” she said.