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Abuja’s Disturbing Baby Abandonment Surge
Abuja’s Disturbing Baby Abandonment Surge
From babies wrapped in pieces of cloth and abandoned along lonely bush paths to newborns dumped in cartons, nylon bags, and refuse dumps, a disturbing pattern of child abandonment is unfolding across communities in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), triggering concerns among the police and child-protection experts. EJIKE EJIKE and IGHO OYOYO report.
A newborn baby boy, barely introduced to the world, was recently found abandoned in a nylon bag in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with injuries to his body, raising fresh concerns about the growing number of child abandonment cases in Nigeria’s capital.
The infant, who was found with serious injuries, was rescued by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and taken to a hospital for medical attention.
For the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, the incident represents another troubling reminder of the dangers faced by newborns abandoned by their mothers or caregivers in circumstances that could cost them their lives.
The baby’s discovery has also renewed questions about the circumstances driving some women to abandon their newborns, the responsibilities of fathers, the availability of support for vulnerable mothers, and the protection available to children born into difficult circumstances.
While the police are yet to establish the identity of the baby’s mother and the circumstances surrounding his abandonment, the incident is not the first of its kind in the FCT.
A review of reported cases over the last two years reveals several incidents across different parts of Abuja, including Mpape, Kuje, Kurudu, Gwagwalada, Galadima and Jabi.
In some instances, the babies were fortunate to be discovered alive after residents heard their cries and alerted security operatives. In others, the circumstances were more tragic.
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A Disturbing Pattern Across Abuja Communities
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The warning signs became particularly pronounced in December 2024, when the FCT Police Command expressed concern over what it described as an increasing number of abandoned babies across the territory.
The command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, raised the alarm after two new cases were reportedly recorded within a single day.
Adeh attributed part of the problem to men abandoning women after impregnating them.
She consequently warned men who were unwilling to accept the responsibilities of fatherhood against engaging in unprotected sexual relationships.
The police warning was significant because it drew attention to the responsibilities of men in addressing child abandonment, rather than treating the problem exclusively as an issue involving women.
However, subsequent incidents demonstrated that the problem was far from disappearing.
On January 3, 2025, operatives of the Mpape Division rescued a day-old baby abandoned along a bush path near Crush Rock, behind an unfinished Red Bricks Market in the Mpape area of Abuja.
The baby was found wrapped in a piece of cloth following a distress call received by the police.
Fortunately, the infant was rescued and taken to Mpape Primary Health Care Centre, where medical personnel confirmed that the child was in stable condition.
Investigations subsequently led to the arrest of the baby’s mother, identified as Khadija Ali, following information provided by members of the community.
According to the police, the woman admitted abandoning the baby, explaining that she could no longer cope with the responsibility of caring for the child after her husband allegedly abandoned her.
The incident offered a glimpse into some of the circumstances that could push vulnerable women into desperate decisions, particularly when they are left without the support of their partners.
The police condemned the action and announced that the woman would face prosecution under Sections 14 and 16 of the Child Rights Act, 2003, upon the conclusion of investigations.
From Cartons To Refuse Dumps: More Babies Abandoned
Barely three months after the Mpape incident, another newborn was discovered abandoned in Jikoko Village, also within the Mpape area.
On April 12, 2025, residents reportedly discovered a day-old baby wrapped in cloth and placed inside a carton along a bush path near a poultry farm.
A resident, identified as Aliyu, told journalists that the discovery shocked community members.
The carton containing the baby was reportedly found along the bush path, prompting residents to alert the police.
The incident was particularly disturbing because it occurred in the same Mpape area where another newborn had been abandoned barely three months earlier.
Five days later, on April 17, 2025, reports emerged of another newborn discovered at a refuse dump in Unguwar Shadadi, Kuje Area Council.
According to accounts from residents, a vigilante operative, Danjuma Alkali, discovered the baby after hearing its cries while members of the security group were concluding their night patrol.
The child was reportedly found covered with a wrapper at the refuse site.
Even more disturbing was the revelation that another newborn had allegedly been discovered about two weeks earlier in an unfinished building in the Kuchiako area of Kuje.
Two Babies Abandoned On The Same Day
The problem resurfaced in September 2026 when the FCT Police Command announced the rescue of two babies abandoned in separate incidents in Kurudu and Gwagwalada.
Both incidents occurred on September 2.
In Kurudu, a resident, identified as Innocent, reportedly heard the cry of a baby near Obodo Street at about 5:30pm.
Upon investigating, he discovered a baby boy carefully wrapped in cloth and abandoned inside a carton box.
He immediately reported the discovery at the Kurudu Police Station, prompting the deployment of officers from the division and its Juveniles and Women Care Department.
The baby was rescued and taken to a nearby hospital for medical assessment, where he was reported to be in stable condition.
In a separate incident later that evening, another resident, identified as Ibrahim, heard a baby crying outside his gate in Gwagwalada at about 9:40pm.
With the assistance of other concerned residents, he rescued the baby girl and reported the incident to the Gwagwalada Police Station.
The infant was subsequently taken to the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital for medical examination and care.
Barely two weeks later, another newborn was reportedly recovered in Gwagwalada on September 14, further reinforcing concerns about the frequency of such discoveries.
The police spokesperson described the situation as a disturbing trend of children being abandoned or left vulnerable in communities.
When Abandonment Ends In Death
Beyond babies who survive after being abandoned, another incident in October 2026 demonstrated the potentially fatal consequences of violence against newborns.
On October 4, the police received a distress call concerning an abandoned infant in a bush near Jabi.
Officers of the Jabi Division were immediately deployed to the location, where they recovered the lifeless body of a male infant with deep wounds to the throat and abdomen.
The baby was rushed to a nearby hospital, where medical personnel confirmed him dead.
Following investigations, the police arrested a 27-year-old woman, identified as Precious Yohanna, in connection with the incident.
According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that the woman had given birth inside her room on October 3 before allegedly inflicting fatal injuries on the newborn with a razor blade.
The police further alleged that the suspect told investigators she committed the act because of hatred for the baby’s father.
Bwari: Another Newborn Found Injured
The latest incident occurred on November 2, 2026, when police operatives rescued a newborn boy abandoned in a nylon bag in Bwari Area Council.
Unlike some of the earlier cases in which babies were found wrapped in clothes or placed inside cartons, the Bwari infant was reportedly abandoned inside a nylon bag and discovered with injuries.
The FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Adeh, who confirmed the incident, described the baby’s condition as disturbing.
She disclosed that the infant had bruises on his hand and one of his arms and had been taken to the hospital for medical attention.
In a public appeal, Adeh urged residents of Bwari and surrounding communities to provide information that could help identify the baby’s mother and establish the circumstances surrounding the abandonment.
She particularly appealed to residents to report any woman who had recently been pregnant but was suddenly seen without a baby.
The police also provided the telephone number of the command’s Gender Officer, 08036259662, for members of the public with relevant information.
Beyond investigating individual cases, the FCT Police Command has repeatedly appealed to women facing unwanted pregnancies or difficult circumstances to seek assistance instead of abandoning their newborns.
Adeh, in her latest appeal, urged women who were unwilling or unable to raise their children to approach social welfare offices or the nearest police station.
According to her, the police are willing to assist women facing such situations and facilitate arrangements for the children to receive appropriate care.
She also pointed out that people are willing to take responsibility for caring for children whose biological parents cannot raise them.
Her appeal reflects the position of the command that child abandonment is not an acceptable solution to unwanted pregnancies, financial difficulties or the breakdown of relationships.
In January 2025, the command had similarly condemned the abandonment of the baby in Mpape and promised that the mother would face prosecution under the provisions of the Child Rights Act.
The command also encouraged residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities or discoveries involving vulnerable children.
Beyond Poverty: The Responsibilities Of Fathers, Society
Although financial difficulties have featured in some of the reported cases, particularly the January 2025 Mpape incident, the circumstances surrounding child abandonment in the FCT suggest that the problem cannot be explained by poverty alone.
The reported reasons and circumstances range from alleged abandonment of women by their partners to relationship conflicts and other situations that remain under investigation.
SP Adeh’s warning about fathers abandoning their baby mamas was particularly important because it drew attention to the role of men who impregnate women but allegedly refuse to accept responsibility for the resulting pregnancies.
For women who are abandoned during pregnancy, the consequences can extend beyond the immediate financial burden of childbirth.
The absence of emotional, financial and practical support can leave some expectant mothers isolated, particularly those without supportive family structures.
However, whatever the circumstances, newborn babies remain vulnerable individuals who cannot protect themselves or make decisions about their welfare.
FCT Offers Adoption, Foster Care, Warns Mothers Against Abandoning Newborns
On its part, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has urged pregnant women and young girls who are not prepared for motherhood or lack the financial capacity to raise children to approach the Women Affairs Secretariat for assistance rather than abandon newborn babies in gutters, refuse dumps and other unsafe locations.
The administration said it had made provisions for alternative care arrangements, including legal adoption and foster care, to ensure that children whose biological parents are unable to raise them are allowed to survive and grow in safe environments.
The deputy director of Information and head of the public relations department, FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Josie Mudasiru, made this known in an interview while expressing concern over the recurring incidents of newborn babies being abandoned by their mothers.
Mudasiru said the FCT Administration was implementing various programmes aimed at empowering young girls through education, vocational skills acquisition and sustained public sensitisation to discourage premature sexual activities and help young people make responsible life choices.
She explained that the administration believed that empowering girls economically and ensuring that they remained in school would help reduce circumstances that could expose them to early pregnancies and the challenges associated with raising children without adequate support.
According to her, however, when pregnancies occur, women who are not prepared to take up the responsibility of motherhood should not resort to abandoning their babies, as there are government-approved channels through which they can receive assistance.
She advised pregnant women who knew they would be unable to raise their children to approach the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat and formally indicate their interest in giving the babies up for adoption.
Mudasiru noted that individuals and families were seeking to adopt children, adding that the Secretariat could guide such women through the appropriate procedures to ensure that the children were placed in suitable homes.
She also disclosed that foster care was available for young mothers who might need temporary assistance to return to school, acquire vocational skills, or become financially stable before assuming full responsibility for their children.
“People make mistakes. If you have gone through this, how do you rectify these mistakes? We have homes and many orphanages in the FCT. We also have people who are ready to foster these children,” she said.
She explained that young mothers who were unable to provide for their babies immediately could explore foster care arrangements, through which their children would receive adequate attention while they worked towards becoming economically capable of raising them.
According to her, there are established procedures for such arrangements, including cases in which a mother wishes to reunite with her child after attaining the financial stability needed to provide proper care.
Mudasiru described the practice of carrying a pregnancy for nine months and subsequently dumping the newborn in an unsafe location as unacceptable, stressing that children should not be made to suffer for circumstances beyond their control.
She said newborn babies were particularly vulnerable and could die from exposure, hunger, injuries or other dangers when abandoned in gutters, refuse dumps and roadside locations.
The FCT official further warned that child abandonment was a criminal offence under the Child Rights Act and that anyone found responsible could be prosecuted.
She explained that the offence could amount to child endangerment, depending on the circumstances, while cases in which an abandoned baby dies could attract more serious criminal charges.
“Now you have endangered the child of another human being. That is child endangerment, and it is a criminal offence. There are cases where the child dies. That is when it becomes more serious, and the circumstances will determine the charges,” she said.
Although she declined to state the specific penalties applicable to every case, Mudasiru maintained that anyone apprehended for abandoning a child would be made to face the law.
She therefore urged women who were experiencing unwanted pregnancies or were uncertain about their ability to raise children to seek government intervention while still pregnant, rather than wait until delivery before taking desperate decisions.
On the steps taken by the Secretariat whenever an abandoned newborn is discovered, Mudasiru said the immediate priority was to protect the child’s life and ensure that the baby received urgent medical attention.
She explained that the child would first be taken to a hospital for medical examination and treatment where necessary, after which the police would be notified to facilitate the appropriate investigation.
“The first thing we do is to take the child to a hospital to make sure that the child is medically okay. We get the child examined by a doctor, and then report to the police,” she said.
She added that following the medical examination and necessary police report, the Secretariat would make arrangements for the child’s placement in a suitable home pending efforts to identify and locate the biological parents.
Where the parents could not be traced, she said, the child would remain in an appropriate care facility until a suitable foster or adoptive arrangement was secured in accordance with established procedures.
Mudasiru stressed that the intervention aimed to ensure that no abandoned child was left without care, protection, and access to necessities while the necessary processes were being undertaken.
She also identified sustained public enlightenment as a critical strategy for addressing the problem, noting that many cases of child abandonment could be prevented if young people were adequately informed about available support services and the consequences of their actions.
She disclosed that the Secretariat was expanding its sensitisation activities through community-based child protection programmes, including training for individuals and stakeholders who could identify and respond to cases of child abuse and other violations of children’s rights.
According to her, she was attending a child protection workshop when the interview was conducted, adding that the training was part of efforts to strengthen community-level responses to issues affecting children’s safety and welfare.
She said the programme was not limited to child abandonment but also covered rape, child labour, maltreatment and other practices capable of exposing children to abuse or denying them adequate protection.
“We are going into communities to talk to them, and we are training people in those communities so that when it happens there, it is not only child abandonment. It is also rape, child labour, maltreatment and anything that will not allow a child to be safe,” she said.
She explained that trained community stakeholders were expected to identify cases, intervene where possible and promptly report incidents beyond their capacity to the Secretariat for appropriate action.
Mudasiru further emphasised that the responsibility of preventing unwanted pregnancies and child abandonment should not be placed on girls alone, pointing out that young men were equally responsible for the circumstances that could result in unplanned pregnancies.
She called on both male and female youths to prioritise their education, learn vocational skills and avoid engaging in sexual activities before they were emotionally and economically prepared for the responsibilities that could follow.
“My advice to young people is that you please face your studies. Face your studies, learn a skill, and when you are ready, you get married properly,” she said.
She noted that what might initially appear to young people as an act of enjoyment could eventually result in unintended pregnancies, economic difficulties, child abandonment and criminal consequences.
The FCT official urged parents, community leaders, religious institutions, and other stakeholders to support the government’s sensitisation efforts by educating young people about responsible behaviour, reproductive health, child protection, and available support systems.
She maintained that while the FCT Administration would continue to provide intervention and protection for vulnerable children, preventing newborn abandonment required collective commitment, responsible decisions and the willingness of affected women to seek help from the appropriate authorities rather than endanger innocent lives.
Experts Speak
A Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Lagos, Prof. Edamisan Temiye, in his published article identified poverty and displacement as major drivers of child abandonment.
He argued that individuals’ inability to meet their basic needs can make caring for children increasingly difficult.
“The problem is as clear as anything. Poverty is at the root of it. When people are displaced, living in camps, hungry and unable to care for themselves, they cannot care for children,” he said.
Temiye also warned that abandoned children face serious health and social consequences, including infections, death and long-term psychological trauma.
His position suggests that addressing child abandonment requires more than arresting mothers after newborns have been abandoned. It also requires interventions that reduce economic vulnerability and help families meet their responsibilities.
However, poverty is not the only explanation.
Consultant Paediatrician and child-health advocate, Dr Ayodele Renner, also said the absence of structured social welfare systems was a major challenge.
He argued that parents who genuinely cannot care for their children often lack accessible and properly organised alternatives.
“Social safety nets are not optional. They should exist for vulnerable groups, especially women and children. Unfortunately, these systems are limited, and the burden is too large for government alone,” Renner said.
He called for clearer legal pathways for adoption and foster care, noting that existing arrangements were inadequate.
The observation is particularly relevant to Abuja, where some of the reported incidents have ended with rescued babies being transferred to social welfare authorities without publicly available information about their subsequent care.
Licensed social worker Dayo Adewumi described child abandonment as a form of child maltreatment and a threat to the safety of the child.
He identified poverty, unemployment, and lack of education as factors contributing to the problem.
Adewumi also advocated stronger public awareness and enforcement of child-protection laws, including measures to hold absent fathers accountable for child support.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in its National Guidelines for the Alternative Care of Children in Nigeria, published in July 2024, emphasised the need for a regulated framework for children deprived of appropriate family care.
The guidelines recognise the importance of protecting vulnerable children against exploitation, abuse and neglect while establishing standards for alternative care arrangements.
UNICEF’s position reinforces the need for government authorities to ensure that children rescued from unsafe environments do not end up in poorly supervised institutions or become vulnerable to further exploitation.
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