Christopher Nwoye, the owner of Happy Home Orphanage in Asaba, Delta State, has voluntarily surrendered to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) following weeks of evading arrest.
This development was confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday in Abuja by NAPTIP’s Press Officer, Vincent Adekoye.
NAPTIP had earlier declared Nwoye wanted in two separate statements released on September 17 and 26, accusing him of absconding while under investigation.
According to Adekoye, four women from Delta State, who had claimed custody of some of the children rescued from the facility, are also currently being interrogated.
The orphanage became the focus of a major trafficking probe after over 70 children were found at the facility during a NAPTIP raid in June.
Among the rescued minors were 15 newborns, with at least eight traced to abductions from Kano and Gombe States, raising serious concerns about child trafficking.
Adekoye noted that several of the children were allegedly purchased by the orphanage, with some already confirmed to be stolen.
Speaking on the matter, NAPTIP Director-General, Hajia Binta Adamu-Bello, confirmed that Nwoye surrendered himself to the agency’s headquarters in Abuja in the company of his lawyer and several women.
“Mr. Christopher Nwoye had previously ignored repeated calls to appear before the agency. His voluntary surrender now allows us to proceed with a full-scale investigation,” she said.
Adamu-Bello emphasized that the June rescue operation was lawful and carried out under the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, 2015, which empowers NAPTIP to investigate, rescue, and prosecute trafficking-related offences.
“NAPTIP does not engage in abductions. Our actions were in line with our legal mandate,” she clarified.
Adamu-Bello also addressed claims surrounding the children’s welfare and alleged religious conversion.
“All rescued children are currently safe and being well cared for in a protective shelter. There is no attempt to force any child to change religion,” she affirmed.
She added that DNA testing will be conducted to determine the true parentage of the children, as part of the ongoing investigation.
The women claiming to be mothers of some of the rescued children are now cooperating with authorities, after previously refusing to honour invitations from NAPTIP.
“This case will be thoroughly investigated to uncover the facts before any final decisions are made,” the Director-General concluded.
