The Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development has scheduled a stakeholders’ meeting with the state chapter of the Association of Orphanages and Home Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON) for Tuesday September 5.

This development came after FIJ’s undercover investigation exposing the sale of babies by Arrows of God orphanage.

For 19 months, ‘Fisayo 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. He eventually bought his in July 2023 for N2 million.

Among his observations in the investigation, and in the interviews he granted after the story, is that the black market for baby sales continues to thrive because of the difficulty in adopting children from orphanages via the government-approved procedure.

It appears that the government is now ready for that conversation, as all four items on the agenda of the meeting are directly or indirectly related to adoption procedures.

WATCH: DOCUMENTARY ARROWS OF GOD

According to the invitation letter, exclusively obtained by FIJ, the meeting is also aimed at ensuring that orphanages are compliant with the relevant laws of operation in the state.

A part of the letter read: Consequently, meetings with stakeholders will ensure synergy between operators of orphanages and the Ministry towards the following:

1. Compliance with the required standards of operation in the state.
2. Awareness on compliance with laws relating to the rights of Children.
3. Awareness on issues relating to the welfare, protection and promotion of safe environment for children in orphanage with no pending danger.
4. A unified approach in the admission, care and discharge of children in orphanage homes.

In Oyo State, where ASOHON has called a similar meeting, adoption is the first serious item on the agenda of the meeting with orphanage operators after opening administrative items.

READ ALSO: ‘We Were Not Involved’ — Anambra Govt Disowns Arrows of God Orphanage

FIJ understands that, although ASOHON convened the meeting, the ministry in Oyo State works closely with ASOHON, almost like ASOHON is a part of the ministry.

A staff of an orphanage home who spoke anonymously with FIJ described the meeting as “a good thing too, as it fosters effective self-regulation.”

Although this kind of meetings are held monthly in Oyo State, it is not the same in Lagos.

“In Lagos, there’s the monthly one for child protection but the one with the permanent secretary is occasional when there is a policy change, important regulatory concern to address or new guidelines,” said the source.

“Lagos has a complex structure for monitoring that works even without the general meetings. There are loads of meetings with social worker, special summons for meeting in Alausa to address issues affecting any particular home. They must feel embarrassed that an Arrows of God operated in the same environment.”

After FIJ released the story on Wednesday, August 10, and followed it up with a documentary the following day, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) took custody of the baby sold to FIJ while officials of the police and the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development arrested a staff of the Ajah headquarters of the orphanage.

They also sealed all four outlets of the orphanage in Lagos, an action that was soon reciprocated in Anambra State with the sealing off of the Anambra outlet of the orphanage by the state’s Ministry of Youth and Social Development.

However, Reverend D. C. Ogo, the founder of Arrows of God Orphanage Home, remains at large, as are her collaborators in the police and the judiciary.