From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
A newborn baby was found dead at the Okaka dumpsite along Melford Okilo road, Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital.
According to investigations, residents of the area woke up Saturday morning to the shocking discovery after the monthly environmental sanitation exercise.
Sources said the first set of residents to see the baby noticed that it was wrapped in an Ankara and was crying.
As more people gathered to catch a glimpse of the baby, the Azikoro Police Station was contacted for its men to come and rescue the baby.
However, before the arrival of the Police, the baby was said to have stopped crying and when the Police got to the scene the baby has stopped moving.
The police team later cordoned off the place and the baby was later confirmed dead before it was evacuated.
Men of the Bayelsa State Environmental Sanitation Authority (BESA) also got to the scene but left when they saw that the Police had already taken over the site.
The Director of Bayelsa Waste Management at BESA, Mr Ebito Alazigha, expressed sadness over the incident.
He implored residents of the area to keep tabs on their neighbours to know what they are dumping at the dumpsite.
The convener of Bayelsa State Gender Response Team (GRT) and founder, Do- Foundation, Ms Dise Ogbise said poverty and promiscuity among young girls are to be blamed for the incidence of dumping of babies at dumpsites.
Ogbise disclosed that her office is open to cater for young girls that have difficulties in taking care of their babies.
She said rather than kill those babies, her office can be contacted for help as they can offer professional help and succour to the young mothers.
According to her, the act of dumping a baby at the dumpsite is illegal and said security agencies should arrest and punish perpetrators.