Ebonyi Commissioner, Policewoman Fight For Abandoned Baby’s Custody

Ebonyi State commissioner for women affairs, Mrs. Chinwe Okah and a female police officer attached to the Central Bank of Nigeria, Abakaliki, one Sergeant Charity Agwu are currently at loggerhead over who should take custody of a baby boy abandoned in the bush and was picked up by the police officer.

LEADERSHIP gathered that the yet to be identified mother who reportedly gave birth to the baby boy on December 2, 2022 in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital abandoned the little baby boy inside a bush.

It was also gathered that the newborn baby whose supposed biological mother abandoned in the bush at the Centenary City, Abakaliki was before he was found and picked up by the police officer, exposed to hunger and scorching sun.

The police officer expressed worry that the commissioner for women affairs who took custody of the baby after she discovered the child and picked him up gave directive that she should not be allowed to see the baby or know the way about of the child.

She said, “On that fateful day, I was on night duty, so at about 5:50pm, I went out with my bike to buy food. After the first roundabout at the Centenary City, I don’t know what told me to look by the side of the gutter. There, I saw a parcel-like object shaking and heard the voice of a newborn baby crying”.

“Being a mother and a security agent, I was forced to stop the bike and found out the true situation of things there. behold, it was a handsome baby boy shabbily dressed and abandoned.

“I was in my full police camouflage uniform that Friday. When I picked the baby, people gathered there in surprise. After some time, I decided to go to the Central Police Station. On getting there, the person in charge of juvenile welfare said that she did not know where to keep the baby because he is too tender because he was about a week old then.

“I then sponsored the circumcision of the baby the following Sunday. So, when they complained of not having where to keep him, I told them to make an official entry of him in my name so that I can go home with him and take care of him pending when anyone brings a report of a missing baby.

“It was my desire to nurse the baby. I know God has a purpose of allowing me to be the person to pick him. But regrettably, the child was forcefully taken away from me by the commissioner for women affairs, Ebonyi State.”

The ministry took the baby to the Motherless Babies home and surprisingly, days ago later, when i went there to see the baby, the management of the place said that the commissioner for women affairs, Chinwe Okah, ordered that I should not be allowed to see that baby again or know his whereabouts, that I am not the biological mother”.

Efforts to get the reaction of Okah proved abortive but an official of the ministry who pleaded anonymity told LEADERSHIP that the ministry cannot allow someone who is not the biological mother of an abandoned baby take custody of the child.