A 1-day-old infant who was left outside in the rain on Friday morning has passed away.

None of the witnesses could immediately identify the baby's gender or describe how or when it was abandoned.

They insisted, however, that the infant had to have been abandoned by the side of the road in the pouring rain.

The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Elvert Ayambem, who lives nearby, was alerted by residents of the Ikot Ishie community in the Calabar Municipality Council.

Eyewitnesses claim that despite the Speaker's prompt action in responding to the residents' distress call, the baby had already passed away by the time he arrived at the scene.

Speaking at the scene early on Friday, Ayambem expressed her profound sorrow over the loss of the defenseless child and the city's rising infant abandonment rate.

He argued that children are God's gifts and should have the opportunity to survive, develop, and thrive.

“This heartbreaking incident is a stark reminder of our collective responsibility to protect the most vulnerable members of our society.

“No child should ever have to face such a tragic fate,” he declared.

He called on the community to unite and take action to put an end to such dastardly acts.

He said stricter penalties against individuals involved in such heinous acts of baby abandonment would be enacted, stressing that such measures would deter those intending to commit such crimes in the future.

“The State House of Assembly is considering legislative measures to address the crime of baby abandonment.”

He reminded everyone of the inherent value of every life, especially the most vulnerable among us.