FIDA rescues infant abandoned in Rivers shrine

The International Federation of Women Lawyers, Rivers State branch, has rescued an infant who was abandoned at a shrine in Abua in Abua/Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State. The Chairperson of FIDA in Rivers State, Tamunoibuemi Life-George, disclosed this while giving details of the rescue operation, on Tuesday. Life-George said the organisation received credible information on Sunday, June 14, 2026, that a two-week-old male infant had been abandoned in front of a local shrine in the area, According to her, the matter was immediately escalated and the child was rescued with the support of the police. She stated, “We immediately escalated the incident and got the child rescued through the support of the police.” She explained that preliminary findings and interviews with the mother revealed that the young woman had initially left the baby in the care of the child’s father due to a lack of provision of basic necessities. “Later, the grandfather, who is the father of the infant’s father, allegedly took the baby and dumped him in front of a shrine in the middle of the night,” she stated. Life-George said that upon receiving the report and ensuring the arrival of the child, the mother and the good Samaritans at the FIDA Legal Centre, the organization immediately intervened to ensure the safety and survival of the infant. The state FIDA chairperson disclosed that the following emergency interventions had been provided including securing the immediate safety of the infant and facilitating initial medical assessments at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital and provision of emergency living support for the young mother to enable her to continue breastfeeding the baby. Related News Kwara gov promises new Chief Imam official vehicles Abia begins relocation of transport operators to new terminal FESTAC residents protest alleged sale of estate facilities According to her, although the baby is currently stable, comprehensive medical evaluations are still required to guarantee his long-term health. She said the case is presently being handled at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital in Port Harcourt To sustain the intervention, Life-George said FIDA urgently requires financial support to cover medical costs and clinical evaluations prescribed at the RSUTH, nutritional support and welfare assistance for the young mother to enable her to adequately care for her child among others. She appealed to well-meaning individuals and organizations to support the intervention through financial contributions aimed at funding the baby’s medical diagnostics an