The Federal Capital Territory Administration has shut down Divine Hope Orphanage and Less Privileged Home, a privately run orphanage in Kagini, Abuja, amid allegations of illegal child trafficking.
The action followed preliminary findings suggesting serious violations involving the movement and custody of children, with authorities describing the situation as one requiring urgent intervention to safeguard vulnerable minors.
According to sources, the development has also drawn attention to a broader network of alleged collaborators, as investigators probe suspected links between the facility and individuals accused of facilitating unauthorized child movements across state lines.
Confirming the development in an official notice issued yesterday, the Director of Child Development at the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Idris Attah, said the facility will remain sealed pending the outcome of investigations into its activities concerning children.
The notice further stated that the proprietress, Grace Ebele Chibuzor, “absconded with an unspecified number of children to an unknown destination without notifying the Child Development Department.”
“Investigations have revealed links to the recent case of four siblings taken from Ado, Nasarawa State, to Gwagwalada, Abuja-FCT, who were safely reunited with their biological parents on Monday, January 5, 2026,” the statement said, listing the children as Joefreey Kasal Asoja, David Mtsewe Asoja, Joy Elsan Asoja, and Joseph Asoja.
Investigators also uncovered an alleged connection between the orphanage and Anderson Archibong, Executive Secretary of the National Council of Child Rights Advocates of Nigeria, who is currently at large.
The partnership is suspected to have “facilitated the illegal movement of children from states including Benue and Nasarawa into Abuja for unauthorized fostering and adoption.”
Attah urged members of the public with relevant information regarding the whereabouts of the missing children or the individuals involved to immediately report to the nearest security agency.
