Anambra State government yesterday closed the Community Children’s Home at Umunna Street in Onitsha South Local Government, for engaging in alleged child trafficking.
Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development Lady Henrietta Agbata said 25 babies would be taken to the Nigeria Red Cross Community Children’s Home in Onitsha.
She handed over a list of registered and government recognised children homes (formerly motherless babies homes) and compassionate homes to the commissioner of Police, director, State Security Service (SSS), the Army and civil defence corps, among other security agencies, and urged them to shut illegal homes.
The commissioner, flanked by the Director, Child Development, Mr. Emeka Ejide, disowned the woman arrested by the police, saying she was not a worker in her ministry.
She said the woman was a deputy director in the Local Government Service Commission in Onitsha South Local Government.
Lady Agbata said: “Babies are not chickens placed for sale and exchanged for financial benefits.
‘’God has exposed them. We are investigating the home for an alleged trafficking before this one. Therefore, we have closed the place, but investigation is on. The babies and the items in the store will be transferred to the Red Cross Children’s Home, Onitsha.”
She said the Christian Relief Compassionate Home, Obosi, remained closed, although respite came its way, following the discovery of the missing child in Okija and the arrest of the parties involved.
Two women were arrested in connection with the alleged trafficking of two babies, aged three months and three days on February 26.
Police spokesman Emeka Chukwuemeka confirmed their arrest.
