By PAUL ADAJI, Abuja –
A 50-year-old woman was arrested at the weekend and 22 orphans rescued after a raid on an illegal orphanage in Ashaka, Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State government, South-South Nigeria.
The Delta State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, Mrs Flora Alatan, who made the disclosure, said the erring orphanage, Foster Paradise, which was shut down, breached the Child Rights Bill.
Represented by an official, Mrs. Oghenekevwe Agas, the commissioner said it was necessary for stakeholders to comply with the rules and regulations guiding the process of setting up an orphanage.
Mrs Alatan, who lamented that the proprietress was unable to provide any detailed registration documents accounting for the number of children in their custody, emphasised that the safety of the children was the priority of government.
According to the commissioner, the ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development did not have the accurate data and information concerning the children.
Following the raid, the 22 orphans were sent to accredited orphanages in Ughelli, and Ogwashi-Uku in Ughelli North and Aniocha South LGA’s respectively, while the suspect, identified as Mrs Antonett, said she relocated from Lagos and had begun the registration process but had not acquired the licence.
The rescue of the 22 orphans came as the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim, called for the establishment of an effective and lasting counter trafficking structures as well as polices that will mitigate the prevalence of human trafficking across the world.
DG, NAPTIP with Commandant of DIC, Cdr. Mike G, Oamen
The NAPTIP boss, who stated this during the graduation ceremony of Officers of the Agency who participated in the Law Enforcement and Intelligence Course 1/2021 of the Defence Intelligence College (DIC), karu, Abuja, said human trafficking constitutes a major National Security concern that requires new ideas and initiatives to tackle the menace.
Specifically, Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim said” Let me remind the graduands that Human Trafficking Constitutes a major National Security concern as thousands of Nigerians are trafficked on a yearly basis. The evolving nature of this ugly and inhuman security challenge underscores the need for new ideas in tackling existing threats posed by Human Trafficking and the establishment of lasting structures to mitigate the menace.
“Therefore, the Law Enforcement and Intelligence Course has been specially organized with the aim of producing NAPTIP staff that are well equipped to perform this all-important task.
“As you go into the field, I expect a high standard of performance from you all and urge you to bring all the training received during this Course to bear. I am confident that the College has provided you with the necessary knowledge and skill to function effectively in whatever capacity you may be deployed to work”, the Director General stated.
On the importance of the course, the NAPTIP boss disclosed that “This course is a vital tool in the quest to produce highly trained NAPTIP personnel capable of delivering on the Agency’s mandate as well as enhancing National Security.
“The Course was borne out of the desire to meet the training needs of the staff of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP). Permit me to also use this opportunity to thank the outgone Chief of Defence Intelligence AVM M.S Usman who graciously approved this training for NAPTIP. I must say that the Defence Intelligence Agency has always co me to the aid of NAPTIP to fill up capacity building and manpower gaps, and the Agency is grateful for this gesture.
“I congratulate the commandant and the entire staff of the College for the successful completion of this Course.
“I have no doubt that the aim and objectives of the Course have been successfully achieved. I therefore enjoin you all to strive to update yourselves and improve on the knowledge and skills you have acquired while on the Course. On our own part, we shall continue to collaborate with the college to be the desired level, in line with the NAPTIP’s drive for human capacity development”, Imaan Sulaiman Ibrahim stated.
Earlier in his speech, the Commandant of the College, Commodore Mike Greggory Oamen, had commended the Director General of NAPTIP for her commitment to the capacity development of Officers of the Agency and assured her of the sustained cooperation of the College.
The training of the Officers of the Agency is one of the outcomes of the useful engagements and relationship building embarked upon by the Director General since her assumption of duties in December 2020.
About 40 Officers drawn from all the Headquarters, Zonal and State Commands of the Agency participated in the training.
