62 abandoned babies rescued in Nigeria's Lagos last year

At least 62 abandoned babies have been rescued in Lagos, Nigeria's economic hub in the last one year, an official said on Saturday.

Speaking at a news conference in Lagos, Adesegun Oshinyinka, the Lagos Permanent Secretary in the Office of Youths and Social Development, said 34 of the babies were male, while 28 were female.

The babies had been taken to some registered orphanages where they were being given adequate care, he said.

Oshinyinka said cases of abandoned babies had become too many and appealed to mothers to always take responsibility for their babies no matter the circumstances.

The state official told reporters that the government received no fewer than 111 applications for adoption of babies within the period.

According to him, 85 babies were released for adoption, while 76 adoptions were legalized through family courts.

Out of those legalized through family courts, 51 were adopted locally, 18 were international adoptions and four were for relative international adoptions.

Ogunyinka said the government was committed to the social welfare of all residents and would continue to take steps to demonstrate that commitment. Endi