The Ogun State Government has responded to the viral videos circulating on social media alleging the disappearance of a rescued baby, clarifying that the child is in good health and currently in protective custody.
According to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, the baby, found by a good Samaritan last week and handed over to the police, was legally transferred into the care of the ministry following proper documentation.
Addressing journalists in Abeokuta on Thursday, Adeleye dismissed the claims made in the videos as an attempt to emotionally blackmail the government and mislead the public. She emphasized that all due procedures were followed in securing the child’s welfare.
“The baby was not missing. He is in safe custody. We are guided by legal procedures to protect rescued children, and this includes preventing those who know the child’s history from adopting him or her,” she stated.
Adeleye explained that the ministry does not permit individuals who are directly involved in the rescue or are familiar with the child’s background to adopt, in order to safeguard the child’s future and privacy.
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She further asserted that all rescued children in the state are under the care of the governor until they are formally adopted.
“Any child found in Ogun State belongs to the state government. They are all children of the governor. That’s why when we name them, they bear the surname of the governor in office,” she said, referencing names like Daniel, Amosun, and Abiodun from past administrations.
The commissioner reiterated that the adoption process in Ogun State is strictly regulated and that no orphanage or individual has the authority to give out a child without ministerial approval. Violators, she warned, would be prosecuted for abduction.