Godstime Ihunwo, Chief Security Officer of the Nkpolu Oroworukwo community, Mile 3 Diobu, under the Diobu Vigilante, early Friday morning, rescued a newborn baby abandoned at a refuse dump in front of the Mile 3 motor park in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, capital.
According to the vigilante officer, he was attracted by the cry of the baby, said to be female while he was on his night patrol at about 3 am saying the baby was still carrying her placenta, wrapped with clothes and left in the cold in the refuse dump when he saw her.
Ihunwo said on the discovery, he put a call across to a human rights activist, Prince Wiro, who accompanied him to the police station to lodge a formal report.
He said, “At 3 am this morning (Friday), while on routine patrol, I discovered a newborn baby who is less than six hours old. At the point of discovery, the baby was still wrapped in clothes and placenta.
“I rescued the child and immediately called a female nurse for urgent medical attention to be given to the baby. Upon inspection by the nurse, the baby was discovered to be a female.
“I called Prince Wiro, who immediately came to my office and accompanied me to Nkpolu Police station to make a formal report.”
The vigilante leader blamed the development on the absence of street lights in most parts of Port Harcourt.
“I want to use this medium to appeal to the Rivers State Government to prevail on the contractors in charge of Ikwerre Road street lights to ensure the lights are always on at night”, he stated.
In his reaction, Mr Prince Wiro, Coordinator, Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, condemned the action of the unknown mother who left the newborn at the mercy of death.
Wiro described the action of the unknown mother as inhumane, callous and barbaric. He advised young females who think they cannot take care of a child after giving birth to seek help by approaching the relevant government ministry in charge of children’s welfare rather than throwing the baby away.
The Police Public Relations Officer PPRO who confirmed the incident said that effort was on to take the baby to a motherless baby home while investigation was still underway.
She later announced that the baby girl has been transferred to a motherless baby home Borokiri, Port Harcourt township area of the state capital.
Also speaking exclusively to Tribune, the Chairperson of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists NAWOJ, Rivers state, Susan Serekara-Nwikhana said the association commended the vigilante officer for his proactive step to rescue the poor baby.
She condemned the action of the mother whom she said had no justifiable excuse to throw away her baby.
Serekara-Nwikhana said the association would monitor the baby, enjoy her survival, and lead a normal life.
