The Kwara State Government has shut down an unapproved orphanage in Ilorin and rescued 30 children found at the facility.
The children, comprising boys and girls aged between two and 15, were evacuated from Iranlowo Oluwa Orphanage and Children’s Home on Thursday by officials of the state Ministry of Social Development.
The rescued children have since been moved to a government-approved shelter, where they are receiving food, medical attention, education and psychosocial support.
The Ministry of Social Development disclosed the development in a statement signed by its Press Secretary, Rasheedat Shodunnke, and made available to journalists in Ilorin.
The ministry said the intervention was part of the state 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 government’s immediate priority was to determine the individual needs and circumstances of each child.
According to her, the ministry would investigate the children’s backgrounds and commence family tracing, with reunification pursued where it is 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.
She explained that children who could not be safely reunited with their families would be placed in government-approved care facilities after the completion of the necessary documentation and assessments.
Imam added that follow-up assessments would be carried out to ensure the children continued to receive care appropriate to their individual circumstances.
Following the closure of the facility, the commissioner directed the ministry to strengthen monitoring of child-care institutions across Kwara State.
She also urged operators of orphanages and children’s homes to obtain government approval, warning that only authorised facilities should operate within the state.
Approved facilities, she said, must prominently display the inscription, “Approved by the Kwara State Government,” on their signposts to enable members of the public distinguish them from unapproved homes.
The Director of Social Work in the ministry, Hamzat Abdulfatah, who participated in the rescue operation, said the intervention underscored 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 rehabilitation efforts would continue while authorities work to establish the identities and family backgrounds of the children and determine appropriate long-term care arrangements.
