How trafficked Benue children were harboured in Abuja, orphanage sealed
Fresh details have emerged on how some of the children trafficked from Benue State were secretly harboured in Abuja, leading to the sealing of an orphanage in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Abuja Metro reports that about 300 children were declared missing from Yelewata, Ukpam and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue […]
Fresh details have emerged on how some of the children trafficked from Benue State were secretly harboured in Abuja, leading to the sealing of an orphanage in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Abuja Metro reports that about 300 children were declared missing from Yelewata, Ukpam and Daudu communities in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.
Our reporter learnt that the Makurdi Zonal Command of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) had, late last year, written to the Child Welfare Department of the FCT Women Development Secretariat, notifying it that some of the missing children were being kept in orphanage homes within the FCT.
The investigation
Speaking with Abuja Metro, the FCT Director of Child Welfare, Dr. Idris Yahaya Attah, said his department immediately commenced a thorough investigation upon receiving the complaint.
According to him, the investigation identified two Abuja-based child care activists—Anderson Archibong, Executive Secretary of the Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria, and Grace Ebele Chibuzor, proprietress of Divine Hope Orphanage and Less Privileged Home, located in the Kagini community—as key suspects.
Dr. Attah said Archibong was invited for questioning to respond to the allegations.
“He honoured the invitation and confessed to picking children from two internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in Daudu and Yelewata. He claimed the exercise was carried out with the consent of community leaders for a project called ‘Back to School,’” Attah said.
However, when asked whether the Guma LGA authorities, the Benue State Government or the FCT Women Development Secretariat were informed of the arrangement, Archibong admitted that none of them was aware.
He subsequently disclosed that the children were being housed at Divine Hope Orphanage.
The confession
Dr. Attah said the proprietress of the orphanage, Mrs. Grace Chibuzor, was then summoned for questioning.
“She confessed to collaborating with Archibong to accommodate the children while seeking sponsors to support their education,” he said.
The director explained that upon her arrival at the Secretariat, she was informed that she had violated the law, as only the Child Welfare Department is authorised to refer children to orphanage homes within the FCT.
According to him, the proprietress knelt and pleaded for forgiveness.
Dr. Attah said both suspects were initially released on the condition that they would return on December 22, 2025, with their registration documents. However, they failed to honour the agreement and subsequently went into hiding.
“One of them claimed to be ill, while the other said he was under ‘spiritual attack,’” the director said.
He added that Archibong later sent an associate, identified as Friday, to submit documents on his behalf. After confirming that the man worked for Archibong, officials handed him over to NAPTIP for further questioning.
FCTA seals orphanage, recovers 4 children
Last Monday, the FCT Women Development Secretariat, in collaboration with a joint security task force, raided the Divine Hope Orphanage in Kagini.
Dr. Attah, who participated in the operation, said the owner had fled the premises, leaving behind four children.
“After a search of the property, the facility was sealed, and both suspects were officially declared wanted,” he said.
In a viral video following the raid, Dr. Attah confirmed that four children—identified as Jeffrey, David, Joy and Joseph—were rescued by the department.
NAPTIP rescues 58 children, arrests gang leader
Meanwhile, NAPTIP confirmed on Tuesday that it had rescued 58 of the 300 children earlier reported missing from Benue State.
The Zonal Commander of the Makurdi Command, Mrs. Gloria Bai, represented by the Head of Operations, Mr. Yusuf Abdul, disclosed this at a press conference.
She said the rescued children, aged between two and eight years, were recovered during four separate operations.
According to her, investigations commenced in May 2025 following reports of mass child disappearances in Guma Local Government Area.
Mrs. Bai further confirmed the arrest of the suspected gang leader, identified as Archibong, alongside four other suspects, adding that investigations were ongoing to locate and rescue the remaining children.