Kano Govt. keeps divorcee, married woman at Nasarawa orphanage home, denies molestation

Kano State Government has dismissed reports of alleged molestation of children by its personnel at Nasarawa children’s Home. The state authorities, however, revealed the admission of a divorcee and a married woman with three children at the orphanage home. The government claimed they grew up at the orphanage home but could not give details how one was a divorcee and the other married with children.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr Zahra’u Muhammad-Umar, dismissed the report while briefing newsmen in Kano on Sunday.

According to her, “Some mischief makers concocted the story to tarnish the image of the state government. We are not allowed to keep grown up children more than 18 years at the orphanage home by law.

“Two grown-ups from the orphanage home, Ladidi and Saudat, were asked to vacate the orphanage home as they are now adults.”

Muhammad-Umar explained that the two ladies, one a divorcee and the other married with three kids, had refused to leave the home and were using tactics to blackmail the commissioner and management of the orphanage.

“The duo went to a radio station and alleged that children at the home were molested, sold and transferred to illegal foster care, among others as they sought sympathy from the public,” the commissioner added.

She said the State government set up a committee to investigate the allegations, which were found to be fake, adding that the committee decided that Ladidi and Saudat should vacate the home as they are above 30 years.

She noted, “When I became the commissioner, I sympathized with the grown-ups, became a mother to them and enrolled some of them in higher institutions”.

She said the State government would not relent in its efforts of uplifting the standards of living among citizens through policies and programmes.

On his part, Chairman, Kano State Fostering Committee, Alhaji Kabiru Zubairu, said the committee constituted by the state government consist of nine members to oversee foster care.

The committee includes a Police Officer as Secretary, REPA, Director (Child of the Ministry), an Educationist from the Ministry of Education, Legal officer, medical practitioner and social welfare officers as members.

“The duo who grew up at the orphanage are not willing to leave despite the fact that Ladidi is a staff of the Kano State Ministry of Health and Saudat is a student at Kano school of Midwifery.

“The committee recommended their eviction, as they are mobilizing others against the home and are spreading false rumours aimed at creating disunity, and threatening the peace of children at the orphanage.

“Their staying in the home is a threat to the administration of the home,” Zubairu said.