FCTA Shutdown Orphanage Home Over Alleged Child Trafficking
In a recent press conference held on Monday, 19th February, in Abuja, The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Mrs Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, confirmed that the Authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has shutdown an orphanage home in Karonmajigi, the Priesthood Orphanage, over child trafficking.
It was revealed that the orphanage home, were caught trafficking 23 children, aged 1 – 14 years, from Plateau State, but were intercepted during the movement.
Speaking further Benjamin – Laniyi revealed that the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has authorized the Secretariat to register and recertify orphanages operating within Abuja, to ensure all are operating in legitimately.
In her words;
“There is no question, yesterday, with immediate effect, that ‘home’ was sealed, shut down. We have the name of the proprietor of the orphanage home, but we are not naming names now for obvious reasons. When the entire material investigation is concluded, there will be an official gazetted presentation of the facts, the findings and the delivery of this intervention we’ve started here today.
“NAPTIP, as we speak is already on it. Using this as an example, one of the first things I have done is to get approval for the recertification of orphanage homes in Abuja. The Minister has approved that there will be a full thorough reprofiling of anything that has to do with orphanage and recertification status of all orphanages in Abuja”
“We are working with the Plateau state government to reunite the children that I had earlier mentioned by name and by age, with their families in Plateau state. This is a transition arrangement”, she said.
