By Davies Iheamnachor, PORT HARCOURT

There was a rain of curses in the Diobu area of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as residents of the area discovered the remains of a day-old baby in a manhole.

It was gathered that members of the Diobu vigilante group made the discovery in the early hours of Tuesday. And that the dead baby was a boy.

A source disclosed that the dead baby was found in a manhole around Ekwe Street by Ikwerre Road, Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt, City Local Government Area.

Mr. Godstime Ihunwo, the Chief Security Officer of Nkpolu Orowurokwo working with Diobu vigilante said the community security team found the baby already dead during their patrol.

He said: “In the early hours of today, July 23, at about 5 a.m., my team and I were on patrol.

“On getting to Ikwerre Road/Ekwe Street, Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt, we discovered that a newborn baby was dumped in a manhole.

“We discovered that the baby was dead. It was a male. I quickly rushed down to Nkpolu Police Division to make an entry. I also contacted Prince Wiro, who is a human rights activist.”

Height of wickedness

Meanwhile, Prince Wiro, who is the National Coordinator of Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign, has condemned the action of the unidentified mother describing it as the height of wickedness.

Wiro said: “It is sad that before the vigilante group discovered the infant male, he was already dead. The action of the mother of the child is a crime that is punishable under Nigerian law.

“We use this opportunity to urge residents who may have useful information about the identity of the child’s mother to report to the Police for necessary action.”

However, the Public Relations Officer of the State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, has confirmed the incident.

Iringe-Koko said Police have contacted the relevant agency for possible evacuation of the dead body while investigations continue.

She urged residents with useful information on who may have dumped the baby to report to the nearest Police station.

Vanguard News