A homeless woman and her twin daughters were rescued off the streets within the Ibadan metropolis during the course of the week by a combined team of the Oyo State Government, social workers and medical practitioners.
The rescue team was led by the Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Toyin Balogun on Thursday.
It was gathered that the young lady, was a student of Mass Communications at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka before the vicissitudes of life altered her life trajectory, had been spotted sleeping outside at the mercy of unscrupulous miscreants in different locations with her vulnerable, under-aged twins.
The Commissioner had earlier directed the ministry staff to keep an eye out for the woman and her kids since a couple of weeks ago when she first received reports about the subjects but apparently, the young lady somehow got wind of the rescue efforts and changed location before she and her kids could be rescued.
Fortunately, a good Samaritan spotted them along the Jericho axis and the information got to the Commissioner, who swooped into action with her team.
A cordon was laid for the woman and fortunately the rescue team was able to connect with her and peacefully evacuate her and her kids from the spot.
She was taken to a tertiary health institution which has requisite facilities for the treatment of mental health issues, where she is presently admitted for treatment.
Her kids were also taken to a state owned facility from where they would be taken for treatment and then eventually enrolled in school.
The evacuation exercise was carried out by the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion (the Hon Commissioner and her team from the Ministry) with support from the Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, Ibadan , Prof Otegbayo, Dr. Abdulmalik ; Mr. Tunji of ASIDO Foundation (an NGO involved in advocacy for and treatment of people with mental health challenges) and Dr. Bamgbose, a mental health specialist with the UCH, among others.
The rescue exercise, according to the Commissioner, was in line with the agenda of the Governor Seyi Makinde led-administration to improve the welfare and wellbeing of the vulnerable and destitute in the society, while ensuring that they are also beneficiaries of the sustainable development agenda of the government.
During the rescue exercise, the Commissioner stated that the State government was committed to rehabilitating as many as possible destitute and reintegrating them back into society, as they are part of the citizenry of the state.
She stressed that “destitute are not only homeless individuals that live on the street, but they form part of the poorest of the poor/ extremely poor who lack the wherewithal to provide for their basic needs, hence the need for the government and society at large to stand in the gap by putting in place safety net measures, until they are able to stand on their feet and get reintegrated back into society after becoming productive both to themselves and the society at large”.