The Lagos State Police Command has rescued two toddlers who were locked up in an apartment on Adelakun Street, in the Iju Ishaga area of Lagos State.

The mother of the infants has been dealing with substance abuse, and as such, has shirked her responsibility to her children.

Concerned neighbours alerted a rights group, Advocate for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network, and they carried out a rescue operation.

When the rescuers gained entrance into the home, they found the toddlers in a state of neglect, having been left to fend for themselves.

The children, who are sometimes locked up for an entire day, eat, sleep, and defecate in the room they were locked in.

The Chief Operating Officer of Advocate for Children and Vulnerable Persons Network, Ebenezer Omejalile said the residents in the area alerted the group to the development.

He said, “These two minors were left to fend for themselves. They eat, defecate, sleep and wake up locked up in the room yet nothing was being done. The DPO of the Red House Police Station was duly informed about it and the infants were rescued.”

Omejalile said it was the second time the police would rescue the toddlers in such a situation. 

He said the rescue operation was carried out by the former Divisional Police Officer but the children were returned to their mother after being placed under the care of government authorities. 

He said, “The incident was initially reported at the same police station several months ago. The then DPO promptly responded to the distress call and rescued the babies from their mother’s custody.

“Shockingly, despite the initial intervention by law enforcement, it has come to light that the children were subsequently returned to their mother’s care. This decision has left many baffled, including the former DPO who ensured the babies were placed under the care of government agencies.” 

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development. 

He said, “The children were rescued. They are now in safe hands.”

This comes one month after it was reported that the police in Lagos state arrested a grandmother, Fatimo Ganiyu, for allegedly locking up her three underaged grandchildren in her home in the Ikotun area of the state (read here).