Woman suspected of mental illness gives birth under Lokoja bridge

A suspected mentally ill woman, identified as Grace, has given birth to a baby boy under Ganaja junction flyover in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital. City & Crime learnt that the woman, who has been living under the bridge for months, is from Igara in Edo State. “We have been seeing her under this bridge […]

A suspected mentally ill woman, identified as Grace, has given birth to a baby boy under Ganaja junction flyover in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital.

City & Crime learnt that the woman, who has been living under the bridge for months, is from Igara in Edo State.

“We have been seeing her under this bridge for months. Her situation is more of a mental challenge, not poverty.

‘’She is incoherent in her speech and in response to issues. We noticed, at a point, that her stomach was increasing in size.

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“Before long, it became clear that someone must have impregnated her.

“We noticed yesterday that she was not comfortable, and we drew the attention of some elderly women who are petty traders at the junction.

“They rallied around her, and after much effort, she gave birth to a baby boy who died a few hours after,” said Yerima Baba, an artisan.

City & Crime further gathered that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare was alerted and its officials later cleaned the area.

“The ministry was alerted and the necessary action was taken, shortly after, medical treatment was arranged for her,” a staff in the ministry, who craved anonymity, said.