The Director-General of, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, said many orphanages around the country are currently under investigation.
She made this known while responding to questions during a One-Day Community Dialogue and Advocacy on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), organised by the agency for stakeholders in Gwagwalada communities of FCT on Thursday.
She said some orphanages commit a lot of infractions that can be categorised as human trafficking.
She added “We are investigating a lot of orphanages around the country, NAPTIP is currently prosecuting some of them.
“The agency is witnessing a lot with these orphanages. No orphanage has the right to conclude adoption of children.
“NAPTIP comes in when there is an element of human trafficking.”
The NAPTIP boss, therefore, warned orphanages to be careful about their mode of operations, as well as cautioned Nigerians to be careful with the adoption of babies from such homes.
She called on Nigerians to follow due process in the adoption of babies.
An orphanage is a residential institution, total institution or group home, devoted to the care of orphans and children who, for various reasons, cannot be cared for by their biological families. The parents may be deceased, absent, or abusive. There may be substance abuse or mental illness in the biological home, or the parent may simply be unwilling to care for the child.
NAN
