The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has successfully rescued 23 children from a suspected child trafficking operation that was functioning under the guise of an orphanage in Kubwa, Abuja.
Following intelligence about suspicious activities, police operatives from Kubwa Division raided Mother Deborah Orphanage on March 20, 2025. The operation led to the rescue of a three-year-old child believed to have been abducted from Kaduna State, along with 22 additional children aged between 2 and 14 years (14 females and 8 males).
Two suspects, including the orphanage owner Ijeoma Andy, have been arrested. According to FCT Police Public Relations Officer SP Josephine Adeh, Andy was unable to provide legitimate documentation or explanation for the children’s presence at the facility. Efforts are ongoing to apprehend other accomplices connected to the syndicate.
“The rescued children have been placed in protective care where they are receiving necessary attention,” said SP Adeh in a statement on Saturday.
The FCT Police Command has urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities through their emergency lines: 08032003913, 08028940883, 08061581938, and 07057337653.
