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About 21 children said to be inmates of Madonna Angels Community Children’s home (Motherless babies home), Atani, Ogbaru local government area are said to have gone missing, with wife of Anambra state Governor, Chief Mrs Ebele Obiano ordering immediate probe into the disappearance.
According to the commissioner for Women’s affairs in Anambra State, Mrs Victoria Chikelu, Chief Mrs Obiano who supervises the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development is greatly pained by the development and insisted the details of the missing children must be found.
It was gathered that the 21 children were given birth to by teenage girls who were discovered in the home during a raid by personnel of the Directorate for Security Services(DSS).
A source said, “The disappearance of the children was after DSS discovered teenage mothers in the home and arrested them , thus forcing the ministry officials and the Nigerian police to do further investigation , only to discover that there were 21 babies which have so far been put to birth by the teenagers.”
“The Governor’s wife was not happy at that because she frowns at any kind of child trafficking and has vowed to stop the perpetrators by all means possible, and you will remember that she has asked all traffickers in the state to leave Anambra or face the wrath of the law”
A police source said, “ we discovered the missing children as the home had 26 children before DSS allegedly burst the home harbouring 14 pregnant girls in the home against what they were registered for. The DSS officials got curious on asking where those who have delivered kept their babies but did not get satisfactory answers.
The Anambra Police PPRO, Uche Ezeh could not be reached as at press time for his comment but officials at the ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development confirmed the development.
When contacted the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Victoria Chikelu confirmed the development but said she was in the Exco meeting and referred our reporter to the Permanent Secretary Mrs Victoria Mgbemena for details of what transpired.
Efforts to contact the Reverend Sister in-charge of the home, Reverend Sister Uyanne for clarification could not be possible.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has ordered for closure of the home.
