Kwara State authorities have taken custody of a newborn baby abandoned by her mother, identified as a student, highlighting the government’s ongoing commitment to protecting vulnerable children.
The state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Opeyemi Oluwakemi, revealed that the baby, delivered on Thursday, was brought to the Ministry of Women Affairs on Friday by a police officer, Medinat Garuba, alongside the Chief Medical Director of Apalara Medical Hospital, Giwa Luqman.
According to a statement from Iyanu Lawal, Press Secretary for the Ministry of Women Affairs, Oluwakemi emphasized that the state government would provide all necessary medical and physical care for the child, stressing that every child is important. She also commended the citizens who ensured the baby reached the ministry safely.
The Chief Medical Director of Apalara Hospital, Luqman, added that the mother initially considered terminating the pregnancy but, after counselling, carried it to term. Despite this, she abandoned the newborn immediately after delivery.
Oluwakemi further stated that under the Child Rights Law, abandoned babies are to be reintegrated into society through fostering or adoption, following due process. She noted that sufficient time must be allowed for mothers to reconsider their decision to abandon their children.
