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Investigative journalist ‘Fisayo Soyombo looked into a Christian orphanage that had been selling babies under the table in a 19-month investigation.
In this interview, Soyombo gives us details of how the investigation went. When he first received the tip-off, one baby cost N1.5 million. But nineteen months later, when he finally ‘bought’ his baby, the ‘cost’ had jumped to N2 million.
NAPTIP Takes Custody of Six-Month-Old Baby Sold
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has taken possession of Oriade Runsewe, the now six-month-old baby sold under the table by Arrows of God orphanage to undercover journalist ‘Fisayo Soyombo on July 6, 2023.
For 19 months, Soyombo, the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of FIJ, had studied, trailed, investigated and eventually penetrated the orphanage after receiving a tip-off in December 2021 that one baby at Arrows of God cost N1.5 million.
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Nineteen months later, the orphanage, founded by Rev. D. C. Ogo, an ordained Minister, a former Principal of the Nigerian Army School of Nursing and Midwifery, a former Chief Matron, and a retired Army Colonel, sold him a baby for N2 million.
FIJ released the story between Wednesday and Friday with a trailer, multimedia story and documentary respectively on each day, leading to calls for the authorities to step in.
Building on previous interactions dating back to July, NAPTIP officials initated contact with FIJ on Thursday to state their readiness to receive the baby. The handover was completed on Friday when two staff of FIJ turned in the baby to the Lagos Zonal Command of NAPTIP headed by Comfort Agboko.
Agboko and two other NAPTIP officers asked a few questions about Oriade before handing her over to a female handler to transport her to a safe house.
The two FIJ staff were then taken to NAPTIP’s investigative wing at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport for further questioning.
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Fatima Waziri-Azi, Director-General of NAPTIP, subsequently confirmed to FIJ early on Saturday that “the baby is currently in our custody, and is receiving the necessary care at our shelter”.
“The rate of buying and selling of children across the country is indeed alarming and the public must desist from patronizing illegal centres to procure children, as it contravenes section 21 of the TIPPEA Act of 2015(as re-enacted),” Waziri-Azi said.
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“Adoption and fostering processes remain the mandate of the federal and state governments. Individuals, NGOs, or orphanages do not have the right to give out children for adoption.”
FIJ
INTERVIEW WITH FISAYO SOYOMBO ON CHANNELS TV ON ARROWS OF GOD ORPHANAGE HOME>>>
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