A day-old baby was found de@d in a manhole in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The sad discovery was made by members of the Diobu vigilante group on Tuesday, July 23, at Ekwe Street by Ikwerre Road, Mile 3 Diobu.
A passerby who first shared the photo online wrote: “Don’t know whether the baby is still alive.”
They added: “Police officers are right close to the manhole doing stop and check.”
In an update, it was revealed that the baby – a boy – was already de@d.
Mr. Godstime Ihunwo, the Chief Security Officer of Nkpolu Orowurokwo working with Diobu vigilante said the community security team found the baby already dead during their patrol.
He said: “In the early hours of today, July 23, at about 5 a.m., my team and I were on patrol.
“On getting to Ikwerre Road/Ekwe Street, Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt, we discovered that a newborn baby was dumped in a manhole.
“We discovered that the baby was dead. It was a male. I quickly rushed down to the Nkpolu Police Division to make an entry. I also contacted Prince Wiro, who is a human rights activist.”
Meanwhile, Prince Wiro, who is the National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, has condemned the action of the unidentified mother describing it as the height of wickedness.
Wiro said: “It is sad that before the vigilante group discovered the infant male, he was already dead. The action of the mother of the child is a crime that is punishable under Nigerian law.
“We use this opportunity to urge residents who may have useful information about the identity of the child’s mother to report to the Police for necessary action.”