•Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State
The Kwara State government has shut down an unapproved orphanage in Ilorin, the state capital, and rescued 30 children found at the facility.
The children, comprising boys and girls aged between two and 15, were removed from the Iranlowo Oluwa Orphanage and Children’s Home yesterday by officials of the state Ministry of Social Development, reports The PUNCH.
The rescued children have been transferred to a government-approved shelter, where they are expected to undergo medical screening and receive food, education and psychosocial support while the authorities assess their individual circumstances.
The development was disclosed by the Kwara State Ministry of Social Development in a statement signed by its Press Secretary, Rasheedat Shodunnke, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent in Ilorin.
The ministry said the intervention was part of the government’s efforts to protect children in care institutions from neglect, abuse and other forms of vulnerability.
The Commissioner for Social Development, Mariam Nnfatima Imam, said the immediate priority was to establish the individual needs and circumstances of the rescued children.
She said the government would investigate their backgrounds and commence family tracing, with reunification to be pursued where it was considered safe and appropriate.
“The children are undergoing comprehensive medical screening, nutrition support and psychosocial counselling, while the ministry is also working on family tracing and reunification, where appropriate,” Imam said.
The commissioner added that children who could not be safely returned to their families would be placed in government-approved care facilities after the necessary documentation and assessments had been completed.
She said follow-up assessments would also be conducted to ensure that the children continued to receive care suited to their individual circumstances.
Imam said the closure of the facility had also prompted the ministry to strengthen its monitoring of child-care institutions across the state.
She directed operators of orphanages and children’s homes to obtain government approval, while approved facilities were instructed to prominently display the inscription, “Approved by the Kwara State Government,” on their signposts.
According to her, the measure would enable members of the public to distinguish authorised facilities from unapproved homes.
The Director of Social Work in the ministry, Hamzat Abdulfatah, who participated in the rescue operation, said the intervention demonstrated the importance of collaboration among agencies and stakeholders involved in child protection.
“This intervention has given these children hope and encouraged us to work together. We now understand that if we manage this process properly and follow due process, these children will have the opportunity to live better and more fulfilled lives,” Abdulfatah said.
The ministry said the rehabilitation process would continue while efforts were made to establish the identities and family backgrounds of the children and determine appropriate long-term care arrangements.
