Lagos rescues 10 children from illegal orphanage

Officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Youth, Sports and Social Development on Thursday rescued 10 children at an illegal orphanage in Alakuko area in Lagos.

A statement from the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, by the spokeswoman, Mrs Titilayo Oshodi-Eko, said the children — three boys and seven girls — were aged between six months and 10 years.

The News Agency of Nigeria quoted Oshodi-Oko as saying in the statement that the children were rescued from Jesus Cares Orphanage located at 23, Alaba Taiwo Street, Kollington Bus Stop, Alakuko, Lagos.

Oshodi-Eko explained that the orphanage was discovered when one Prince Eteng, 22, was arrested begging for alms in a commercial bus between Ikeja and Sango Ota, Ogun State, on behalf of the children in the orphanage.

A female information officer with the Lagos State Government was said to have accosted Eteng and dragged him with the help of another man to the Ikeja Local Government Secretariat Police Post.

“Mr. and Mrs. Clement Edet, (both pastors), are the owners of the orphanage. My duty is to collect offerings and donations from members of the public and deliver same to my employers,” Eteng was quoted as saying.

He said that he received N1000 as transport fare from the pastors and distributed 60 envelopes for offerings daily.

The statement also quoted Mrs Janet Edet as saying she and her husband, Pastor Clement Edet, of Timeless Christian Chapel International, Mangoro, Lagos, decided to help the children because they had no parents.

Oshodi-Eko said that officials of the ministry, who later visited the orphanage, discovered that the environment was poor and empty, with no sign of foodstuff.

“We realised that the children were not registered in any school,’’ she said.

Oshodi-Eko said that the case was first reported at the Alakuko Police Station before the children were moved to the State Secretariat, Alausa.

The statement quoted the Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Youth and Social Development, Dr. Dolapo Badru, as saying that the children had been moved to the government orphanage at Idi-Araba.

Badru vowed that government would not relent in its efforts to rid the state of illegal orphanage operators.

“It is no longer business as usual for those engaged in running illegal orphanages in Lagos,‘‘ he said.