LAGESC Rescues 4 Nursing Mothers, Babies From Illegal Lagos Dumpsite

The Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, has rescued four nursing mothers and their babies from an illegal dumpsite in the Agboju area of Lagos State.

The women were rescued on Monday during an inter-agency cleanup operation along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway corridor.

The Corps Marshal of LAGESC, Major Olaniyi Cole (retd.), disclosed this in a statement shared on the agency’s X handle on Tuesday.

Cole said the cleanup operation, which had been ongoing for several weeks, aimed to address environmental violations and obstructions along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

He said operatives were surprised to discover young nursing mothers living in shanties and illegal dumpsites under what he described as inhumane conditions.

According to him, the women were living amid refuse, poor air quality and hunger, prompting the agency to rescue them and arrange medical assistance.

The rescued women were identified as 23-year-old Fareedat Muyideen from Kwara State, who had her two-year-old baby; 25-year-old Ayomide Ayomoke from Ondo State, with her 10-month-old baby; 20-year-old Amanda Oziema Abalihi from Anambra State, with her nine-day-old baby; and 24-year-old Chisom Ugo from Imo State, with her 11-month-old baby.

Cole said the intervention was necessary to prevent a possible loss of life, particularly after operatives discovered the condition of one of the newborns.

He said the women were receiving medical attention and would be reunited with their families or referred to relevant welfare authorities once they were medically fit.

The corps marshal appealed to relatives who might be searching for the women to contact the authorities.

He added that LAGESC was collaborating with relevant agencies to ensure the women received appropriate rehabilitation and support for their reintegration into society.

Cole also urged parents and guardians to closely monitor their children, noting that some young people had reportedly ended up living on the streets following alleged maltreatment at home.

He reaffirmed the Lagos State Government’s commitment to combating child abuse and warned that parents and guardians found responsible for neglect or abuse could face prosecution.