In a heart-wrenching incident, a one-day-old baby abandoned under the pouring rain on Friday morning has tragically lost its life.
The gender of the baby remains unknown, and none of the onlookers could provide any information on how or when the baby was abandoned.
However, witnesses claim that the baby was left by the roadside, exposed to the merciless rain.
Residents of Ikot Ishie community in the Calabar Municipality Council were the first to discover the distressing scene and promptly sought help from the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, who resides nearby.
Although the Speaker swiftly responded upon receiving the distress call, tragically, the baby had already succumbed to its fate by the time he arrived.
Standing at the scene on Friday morning, Ayambem expressed profound concern over the loss of this innocent child and the escalating issue of infant abandonment in the city.
In an emotionally charged voice, he emphasized that children are precious gifts bestowed upon us by God and should be given every opportunity to live, grow, and thrive.
“This heartrending incident serves as a glaring reminder of our collective responsibility to safeguard the most vulnerable members of our society,” Ayambem declared.
He called upon the community to unite and take immediate action to combat such despicable acts.
Ayambem announced the intention to establish stricter penalties for individuals involved in the heinous crime of baby abandonment, emphasizing that such measures will serve as a deterrent for those contemplating such acts in the future.
“The State House of Assembly is actively considering legislative measures to address the issue of baby abandonment,” he added.
He reminded everyone of the inherent value of every life, particularly the lives of the most vulnerable among us.
