By Peter Duru, Makurdi
A newborn baby girl has been rescued alive after she was allegedly abandoned in a carton near Ashar Forest in Wuese community, Konshisha Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State.
The infant, whose mother and circumstances surrounding her birth remain unknown, was reportedly discovered on Saturday by a passerby, Mrs Mbakasev Yisa, who found the baby wrapped in clothes and dumped inside the carton.
An eyewitness and councillor representing the area, Gabriel Mbaukaan, told journalists by phone in Makurdi on Sunday that the baby was in an extremely critical condition when she was found, with maggots allegedly crawling around her body and a foul smell emanating from the carton.
Mbaukaan said Yisa immediately alerted the police outpost in the community, prompting officers to visit the scene, document the discovery, and direct that the baby be taken to a medical facility for urgent treatment.
He said, “as a councillor representing the area, I visited the scene to personally assess the situation and ascertain the condition of the abandoned child.
“When the policemen came to the scene, they carried out the necessary documentation of the discovery and directed Mrs Yisa to take the baby to a medical facility for urgent medical attention.
“Because the baby’s condition was so critical, the first clinic we approached could not admit the child. We later took her to Dooshima Clinic in Wuese, Konshisha LGA, where she is being treated and fed with glucose and NAN infant formula as medical personnel work to stabilise her.”
According to him, medical tests have been conducted on the infant, who remains under observation at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit after reportedly being exposed to harsh conditions shortly after birth.
Mbaukaan said he had made a financial contribution towards the baby’s upkeep and appealed to individuals, humanitarian organisations, community leaders and government agencies to assist with her treatment and welfare.
“I have made a financial donation towards the child’s upkeep and appealed to the medical personnel to ensure that the infant receives continuous and effective treatment.
“I am using this opportunity to appeal to individuals, humanitarian organisations, community leaders, government agencies and other people of goodwill to support the baby’s treatment and welfare.
“We are managing the situation at our own level as a community. We have even told the police officers attached to the police outpost here not to take the matter to the divisional office in Tse-Agbaragba yet because we are following up the matter.
“We will do our best to ensure that the newborn baby gets well. I am also making concerted efforts to get across to the local government council chairman, who is yet to be informed,” he said.
Also confirming the rescue, the youth leader of Wuese community, Mr Udigi Waya, expressed concern over the circumstances surrounding the abandonment, saying the baby might have spent about three days in the forest before she was discovered.
Waya said the infant’s cry was the only indication that she was still alive when the carton was opened.
However, when contacted, Benue State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Peter Aondongu said he had not received any official report on the incident.
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