A distressed baby girl abandoned in a biscuit carton near Eco Bank, along Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo, reportedly died after long hours of crying as residents failed to come to her rescue. She was said to have been abandoned by her mother at about 11:30pm on Friday, and died around 11:58am on Saturday.
A resident of the area, Mr. Okon Isaac, told Punch he had wanted to check if Total Filling Station along Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo had begun selling fuel when he heard a baby’s cry near the refuse bin. He then suspended buying the fuel to observe if her mum would return soon.
He added that the baby’s cry from the biscuit carton drew the attention of a large number of people but they were all scared to touch her to avoid being accused by the police of trying to steal or kidnap her.
“I have been here since 5:47am. I wanted to buy fuel from Total, which only sells the product when available between the hours of 4 and 6:20am…
As I was passing, I heard the cry of the baby. I began to wonder where the baby was crying from. But when I got near the refuse bin, just off the road, I saw a baby girl neatly dressed and dumped in a biscuit carton.
I could not go to Total in search of fuel again. I stayed behind to observe if the mother of the baby might change her mind and come back for the baby. And before long, people started to troop in as they heard the cry of the baby.
But as we live in a period of child theft and selling of children for money, people were scared to touch the baby. They all stood helpless, should anyone risk lifting the baby, and the police happen to be around, the individual can be accused of child theft, or whatever,” he said.
According to Punch correspondent, police emergency number was called to inform them about the abandoned baby, and they said they were aware of the situation and had contacted the Ministry of Environment for necessary action. However, neither the police nor officials of the Ministry of Environment were present at the scene till the baby died.
All these stupid excuses are so flimsy to let an innocent child suffer and die, what’s all these rubbish about???? So if all of them had taken her to the police together, they would have been arrested??? We have lost out communal sense.
So sad…why why watch the baby cry herself to death not good at all..RIP baby
Hmmm this is so bad! Not fair at all. God have mercy. May her innocent soul RIP
Sad! Why na…..why waiting for help that will not show up……an helpless child that should have been taken to the hospital
May u all suffer perpetually
May u all involved never go unpunished
God is only u dt will save us
Hmmmmmmm this is sad and bad.
Oh my god
If up to 10 people had taken the baby to the police station,l don’t think the police would have arrested all of them for any crime.I wonder who is more wicked:the onlookers or the mother.Such a beautiful baby
See wicked Nigerians. Useless officials
Too bad! See the type of society we live in, when we are afraid of saving a life what saving all because of stupid fears.God is watching
you all are bunch of wicked fellows. what stops one of u from at least giving the poor baby pap. Why, why did u guys watch her die?
Na wah for all of una! flimsy excuse to watch the baby die. you all are as guilty as her mother
So sad. Those excuses are too flimsy. Even if d police wants to accuse you of child theft, u should have called two or three people to be a witness at d police station. The on lookers are as wicked as d mother
This is really sad!
jesus christ
So sad
Wicked cowards all of them. Me in will pick that baby arrest me I don’t care
Haba!! So the just watched the poor child died like that? What a heartless society.
Omg! Who are the mothers who keep doing this oooo???? God have mercy!
So so wicked.rip little one
dTs not true jare.evn if dats d case y dint dey go as in group wt d baby
Too bad! See the type of society we live in
All these stupid excuses are so flimsy to let an innocent child suffer and die, what’s all these rubbish about???? So if all of them had taken her to the police together, they would have been arrested??? We have lost out communal sense.
So sad…why why watch the baby cry herself to death not good at all..RIP baby
Hmmm this is so bad! Not fair at all. God have mercy. May her innocent soul RIP
Sad! Why na…..why waiting for help that will not show up……an helpless child that should have been taken to the hospital
May u all suffer perpetually
May u all involved never go unpunished
God is only u dt will save us
Hmmmmmmm this is sad and bad.
Oh my god
If up to 10 people had taken the baby to the police station,l don’t think the police would have arrested all of them for any crime.I wonder who is more wicked:the onlookers or the mother.Such a beautiful baby
See wicked Nigerians. Useless officials
Too bad! See the type of society we live in, when we are afraid of saving a life what saving all because of stupid fears.God is watching
you all are bunch of wicked fellows. what stops one of u from at least giving the poor baby pap. Why, why did u guys watch her die?
Na wah for all of una! flimsy excuse to watch the baby die. you all are as guilty as her mother
So sad. Those excuses are too flimsy. Even if d police wants to accuse you of child theft, u should have called two or three people to be a witness at d police station. The on lookers are as wicked as d mother
This is really sad!
jesus christ
So sad
Wicked cowards all of them. Me in will pick that baby arrest me I don’t care
Haba!! So the just watched the poor child died like that? What a heartless society.
Omg! Who are the mothers who keep doing this oooo???? God have mercy!
So so wicked.rip little one
dTs not true jare.evn if dats d case y dint dey go as in group wt d baby