23 children rescued as Abuja orphanage is sealed

The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, on Monday sealed the Priesthood Orphanage in Karon Majigi village, Abuja.

This came after the FCTA rescued about 23 children between the ages of one and 14 from the facility.

The children were allegedly trafficked from Plateau.

The Mandate Secretary, Women Affairs Secretariat, FCTA, Mrs Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi made the revelation while handing over the children to Plateau Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Caroline Dafur, in Abuja.

Benjamins-Laniyi noted that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had authorised the secretariat to profile and recertify all orphanages operating within the territory.

“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 and recertification of anything that has to do with orphanages in Abuja,” she said.

The mandate secretary said that the secretariat was already working with Dafur to reunite the children with their families.

She added that some of the children had been in the uncertified orphanage since 2019.