RismadarVoice Reporters, April 6, 2026
The Kwara State Government has taken responsibility for a newborn baby reportedly abandoned by her mother shortly after birth at a private hospital in the state.
State authorities reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding orphans and vulnerable children, emphasizing that every child deserves care, protection.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs, Opeyemi Oluwakemi, disclosed that the baby was delivered on Thursday and later brought to the Ministry of Women Affairs on Friday. According to her, the infant was handed over by a police officer, Medinat Garuba, alongside the Chief Medical Director of Apalara Medical Hospital, Dr. Giwa Luqman.
In a statement issued by the ministry’s Press Secretary, Iyanu Lawal, the commissioner assured that the government would provide the newborn with the necessary medical attention and overall care.
Oluwakemi also expressed appreciation to those who facilitated the transfer of the baby to the ministry, noting that their actions helped ensure the child’s safety and wellbeing.
Dr. Luqman explained that the baby’s mother, believed to be a student, had initially approached the hospital seeking to terminate the pregnancy. However, after receiving counselling from the hospital staff, she decided to continue with the pregnancy until delivery. According to them, the woman left the hospital after giving birth, abandoning the newborn.
The commissioner further stated that the Kwara State Child Rights Law provides legal procedures for integrating abandoned children into society through fostering or adoption.
She stressed that the process must follow due legal steps, and that authorities typically allow time for biological mothers to reconsider their decision before adoption arrangements are finalized.
