The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Mrs Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, announced on Monday that the Federal Capital Territory Administration had sealed off the Priesthood Orphanage in Karonmajigi. This action followed the rescue of 23 children, aged 1 to 14 years, who were trafficked from Plateau state and found at the orphanage.
Addressing the press, Benjamins-Laniyi stated that FCT Minister Nyesom Wike had authorized the Secretariat to profile and recertify orphanages operating in the capital. The orphanage in question was immediately shut down, and the proprietor’s name, although known, was withheld pending the conclusion of the material investigation. A comprehensive presentation of the findings will be made once the investigation is complete.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) is already involved in the case. Additionally, Benjamins-Laniyi revealed that approval had been obtained for the recertification of all orphanages in Abuja, with a thorough reprofiling to ensure compliance with standards.
Collaborating with the Plateau State government, the Women’s Secretariat is working to reunite the rescued children with their families. Some of these children had been at the uncertified orphanage for up to five years since 2019.
The Plateau State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Caroline Dafur, described the deplorable conditions at the orphanage, where children were found in cramped and unsanitary living quarters. She expressed gratitude to the Mandate Secretary for assistance in evacuating the children and relocating them to the Karu Children’s Home, emphasizing the need for humane treatment of individuals in the country.
