Chair of Ilorin East council area in Kwara, Ramat Seriki, says she is ready to adopt a baby girl abandoned at the entrance of the secretariat if no claims the infant in three months.

The infant is currently at a motherless babies home under the ministry of women affairs and social development.

She was discovered by residents of Okeoyi and staff of the council at entrance to the secretariat, with only a piece of cloth as bedding under her.

Seriki took the baby into the care of the ministry of social welfare.

In an interview with NAN in llorin on Saturday, Seriki described the action of the unidentified mother of the abandoned baby as callous, barbaric and unacceptable.

She said all effort to identify the mother of the baby proved abortive, stating that the baby has been delivered to the Motherless babies home at NNPC Pipeline Road in llorin.

“I am fully ready to adopt the baby by signing all necessary documents if nobody claims her within the next three months,’’ she said.

Seriki said that she would be providing all necessary items for the upbringing of the baby while at the Motherless babies home, pending when she would formally adopt her.

When contacted on the issue, Hafsat lbrahim, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Welfare, confirmed that the abandoned baby was now at the Motherless home under the ministry.

She said any arrangement on her adoption by anybody would follow due process at the ministry.

NAN