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The Lagos State government has closed down five orphanages over the past year due to issues such as baby trafficking and breaches of the state’s Child Rights Law of 2015.
Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, made this announcement in Ikeja on Tuesday during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing to celebrate Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second year in office.
He stated that these closures are part of the ministry’s efforts to combat illegal activities and protect children’s rights. “Any facility involved in illicit practices like baby trafficking will face strict consequences; we have the records to prove it,” he emphasized.
According to him, the ministry has a dedicated monitoring unit responsible for ensuring adherence to regulations and safeguarding the welfare of children in orphanages and similar institutions.
“Our monitoring team is always in the field to confirm that these homes operate within legal boundaries,” he mentioned.
Ogunlende also pointed out the ministry’s wider social intervention initiatives, indicating that over 4,000 youths have received vocational training in the last year. “We are dedicated to empowering our youth.
Through targeted skills acquisition programs, more than 4,000 young people have been trained to achieve self-reliance.
They can choose from various vocations like tailoring, fish farming, and ICT,” he added.
He further disclosed that more than 200 children had been rescued and rehabilitated during the same timeframe as part of the ministry’s child welfare initiatives.
“Each rescued child signifies a life saved from abuse or neglect. This is what fuels our dedication,” he concluded.
The commissioner reinforced the government’s zero tolerance for any type of child abuse and assured that enforcement actions would be strengthened.
