The Ebonyi State Government, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, has confirmed the rescue of five boys aged between three and 11 from different locations across the state.
In a statement issued on Sunday, February 22, the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Joshua Ukandu, said officers of the command were instrumental in taking the children off the streets. He added that the minors had been handed over to the Ebonyi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for further investigation and efforts to reunite them with their families.
“Operatives of the command rescued the five male children at various locations across the state. They have been handed over to the Ebonyi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development for further investigations and to reunite them with their families,” Ukandu stated.
Confirming the development, the Commissioner for Women’s Affairs and Social Development, Felicia Nwankpuma, said the children were found wandering in different parts of the state before police intervention. Represented by the ministry’s Head of Child Development Department, Emmanuel Nkwuda, she described children as precious gifts who deserve proper care and protection.
She urged parents to be mindful of their economic capacity when raising children and to remain security conscious.
The government called on parents searching for missing children to visit the ministry with relevant evidence for identification and possible reunion. The commissioner warned that if parents fail to come forward within a reasonable timeframe, the ministry may consider adoption or fostering arrangements to ensure the children receive adequate care, education, and emotional support.
She noted that the ministry does not operate a school or skill acquisition centre within its facility, stressing that prolonged stays without structured engagement could negatively affect the children’s development. According to her, some of the children have been in the centre for as long as four years, while others have stayed between one and two years, with the youngest having spent just two months.
