A young Nigerian woman serving in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has shared a disturbing discovery she made at her place of primary assignment in Makurdi, Benue State. The corps member found a two-year-old child abandoned in a classroom long after school hours had ended, with no parents arriving to pick up the young student.
The Discovery That Shocked a Community
According to the NYSC member who shared her experience online under the username @aritilex_lifestyle, the incident occurred when school had officially closed for the day. She noticed the young child remained in the classroom with no guardian present to collect her. By approximately 8:00 PM, the situation became increasingly concerning as no family members had arrived to claim the child.
The corps member estimated the abandoned child to be approximately two years old and took immediate responsibility for the girl's care and safety. She documented the situation in a video that quickly gained attention across social media platforms, captioning it: "I found a child in school where I serve this is almost 8pm and nobody has come for her."
School's Failed Attempt to Locate Parents
When alerted about the abandoned child, school authorities sprang into action. A delegation from the institution visited the address provided by the child's parents during school registration. However, their efforts proved fruitless as they discovered the family had moved out of the residence without updating their contact information with the school.
The situation raised serious questions about the school's record-keeping practices, with many social media users questioning why the institution didn't have current contact numbers for the child's parents. The NYSC member subsequently reported the matter to local police authorities, though she continues to provide temporary care for the child while investigations continue.
Public Reaction and Concerns
The video shared by the NYSC member sparked widespread reaction across social media platforms, with users expressing both concern and criticism.
User @Becca commented: "I need her o....if no come for her or care. me I need a child o.." while @Tari's Aesthetics noted: "Thank God say no be man see her atleast I'm happy she's safe with you."
Other respondents expressed worry about the parents' whereabouts. @Krystalkrys speculated: "Something might have happened to the parent ooo ahh Jesus," suggesting a potential emergency might explain the abandonment.
Several commenters directed criticism toward the school administration. @Bukky Ajadi questioned: "What kind of school does not have parents contact on the school phone, is there no students record in the school, why can't the head of the school, proprietor, and admin come to look for ways to solve issues?"
Similar concerns were echoed by @pridepigin who asked: "So the owner of the school doesn't have the child parents number?" and @First star who noted: "How come the school management doesn't have the parents number? That's very unusual for a school not to have the details of students parents."
Some users offered cautionary advice to the NYSC member. @Omalicha suggested: "The truth is no matter how good you are people will never appreciate a good effort ..I suggest you should have handed her over to the school administrator they should take responsible for their student to avoid any necessity that might occur in case of next time make your good deed no turn another thing for you thank you."
The incident highlights broader concerns about child welfare and institutional responsibility in educational settings across Nigeria. It also underscores the unexpected challenges that NYSC members sometimes face during their national service year, often finding themselves in positions where they must respond to community crises beyond their official duties.
