File: Civil defence corps members

Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ondo State says it has rescued three children abandoned at different locations in the state.

Corps Commandant Pedro Awili made the announcement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Akure.

He said that the officers of NSCDC rescued the children at two different locations in Akure on May 29, observing that the ages of the children ranged from one year to four years.

The commandant said that the NSCDC personnel rescued the one-year old child beside a road opposite National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Federal Secretariat, Oda road, Akure.

“On May 29, by 6 a.m, a young baby-girl of less than a year was abandoned opposite NYSC secretariat, Oda road, Akure.

“This baby was in critical health condition and it was suspected that the baby ought to have been abandoned by her parent, who covered her with a small towel and kept her by the road side.

“It rained heavily on that morning and the baby almost gave up until NSCDC officials rescued her.

“In conjunction with the Ministry of Women Affairs, Ondo State, and from its Traffic Unit, we took the child to an intensive care.

“Presently, as I speak, the baby is receiving treatment at Police Clinic, Akure; and doctors are helping us to ensure that the baby survives,’’ he said.

He said that the other two children were rescued by a radio presenter in the state, Mr Gbenga Fulani, who informed the command and the NSCDC operatives took action to rescue the children.

He explained that the two children — a boy and a girl (Ariyo Success) and (Samuel Ariyo) — were found wandering on St. Micheal Ijoka road, Akure.

“These children were abandoned by their mother who took them to her father in-law, Mr Ayodeji Ariyo, when her husband abandoned her and the children.

“The father in-law, who could not take care of them, also dumped them close to a hospital in Akure and left while the children began to wander.

“Through our investigations, we are able to locate where their mother is and invited her for questioning, including Ayodeji; her father in-law.

“We discovered that the father of the children had abandoned them for their mother more than two years and disappeared to unknown destination; they, however, signed undertaking to take proper care of the children,’’ he said.

Awili, who attributed the cause of children abandonment to the rising case of single parenthood, warned that the law would take its course on any offender.

“We need to know that children are the future of this generation and we must take good care of them by providing for their needs,’’ he said.

He also said that the command had done a lot to ensure protection of lives and property of people in the state.