FCTA Priesthood Orphanage, rescues 23 children

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

The development followed the rescue of approximately 23 children, aged between one and 14, from the facility. These children were reportedly trafficked from Plateau state.

Mrs. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi, the Mandate Secretary of the Women Affairs Secretariat under the FCTA, disclosed this information while overseeing the transfer of the children to Mrs. Caroline Dafur, the Plateau Commissioner for Women Affairs, in Abuja.

Benjamins-Laniyi emphasized that the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had authorized the secretariat to conduct a comprehensive profiling and recertification of all orphanages operating within the territory. She stated, “Taking cues from this incident, one of our immediate actions is to initiate the recertification process for orphanage homes in Abuja.”

“The Minister has granted approval for a thorough reprofiling and recertification of all orphanages in Abuja,” she added.

The mandate secretary also revealed that the secretariat was collaborating with Dafur to facilitate the reunion of the rescued children with their families.
Some of these children had been residing in the unregistered orphanage since 2019.