Fury in Ekiti as Dead Baby is Discovered in Canal

Olakiitan Victor in Ado Ekiti

Residents and passers-by in Irona area of Ado Local Government Area of Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State were yesterday angered by a discovery of the lifeless body of a day old baby inside a canal that links the popular Fayose market and Ilawe Road in the area.

The discovery drew the ire of sympathetic residents and passers-by who cursed the ‘culprit’ for been heartless, while others prayed for the baby’s soul to rest in peace. It was gathered that the baby was dropped inside the huge canal at dawn as traders around the area said they didn’t notice it until early yesterday morning.

“The unfortunate baby must have been dropped inside the canal by its assailant very early this morning because we didn’t notice it yesterday night until we closed from shop,” a trader, who didn’t want her name in print, said.

Speculating that any of the sex workers whose brothels are close to the area, might be responsible for the child’s tragedy, an Okada rider, Mufu Ayeni, said: “That baby was very unlucky. It had died before the police came to the spot. All these Ashawo (sex workers) are responsible for committing this kind of atrocity.

“It is one of them that would do this. If you examine the baby very well, it was still smeared with blood which showed that it was dumped inside the canal immediately after it was delivered. One thing we cannot claim is whether the baby had died before it was dumped inside the canal or after the deed was done. But whoever has done this is surely a wicked person,” he said.

Interestingly, the canal in which the baby was dumped is close to a community, named Okebola, that has gained notoriety for diverse immoral activities which range from prostitution, thuggery, idleness and armed robbery among others.

Confirming the tragic development, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Alberto Adeyemi, said that the baby’s corpse has been deposited at the state mortuary while investigation on the matter has started. His words: “This morning reports came to us that a day old baby was dumped inside a canal in the area and we swiftly sent a rescue team to the spot.

“Our men found the baby dead inside the canal and they have evacuated its body and taken it to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital’s mortuary. We have also begun investigation into the development,” Adeyemi said.