The lifeless body of a one-day-old baby wrapped with umbilical cord and placenta was found on a refuse dump in Gwallameji area of Bauchi metropolis on Thursday.
A 14-year-old boy, who discovered the dead body, said he was scavenging waste plastics and was about picking a plastic when he saw the baby.
“Immediately, I called my brother to come and see but he refused and ran away from the place,” the boy said. “We saw a man walking which we told him and he looked at it. I went and called our neighbour and my mother who came to see what I had told them.”
While commenting on the incident, the community leader Sarkin Gwallameji, Sanusi Sani, said he was called by his commander whose house is close to where the baby was found about the incident.
“Honestly, I was very sad beyond words over what I heard and what I also came and saw. A similar thing like this had happened some years back when we found a newborn baby in a well with water,” Sani said.
“They should know that this is a burden on everyone not just on the leaders, they should report any a pregnant woman they know is not married so that we will forestall this kind of recurrence.”
The community leader said he has informed the Yelwa Divisional Police Headquarters about the incident and they also sent some of their men to the place.
He said that the community had started investigating the matter. “We have informed all our commanders around including Rafin Zurfi area to investigate to see if they will find out any lady that was pregnant and that pregnancy is no more there and she cannot explain the whereabouts of the baby.
Gwallamaji is the host Community of the Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, the community leader believed that “Even though the Polytechnic is not in session and students are not around, but this wouldn’t stop us from doing our investigation and inquiries in the households around to see if we will get the culprit.”
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bauchi State Command, DSP Ahmed Wakili, confirmed the incident, saying that investigation had begun.
He said, “Yes, it is true that an abandoned baby was found this morning at Gwallameji area and the community informed the Yelwa Divisional Police Station. Our men went there and took pictures and discovered that the baby had started decaying.
“We have launched an investigation into the matter and efforts are on to identify and arrest the culprit so that she can face the full wrath of the law.”
