COURT ORDERS ONDO GOVERNMENT TO PAY ₦25 MILLION OVER MISSING CHILD IN ORPHANAGE CASE

A court has ordered the Ondo State Government to pay ₦25 million in damages over the alleged disappearance of a child from an orphanage in the state.

The judgment followed a legal action filed over claims that the child went missing while under the care and supervision of the orphanage facility.

The court held that the government bore responsibility for ensuring proper monitoring and regulation of such care institutions, noting lapses in oversight.

It ruled that the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance reflected negligence in the duty of care owed to vulnerable children in state-supervised facilities.

The court further directed authorities to strengthen monitoring mechanisms for orphanages and child care centres to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Human rights observers say the ruling underscores the importance of accountability in the management of welfare institutions, especially those catering to minors.

The decision has also sparked renewed calls for stricter regulation and improved safeguarding standards in orphanages across the country.

The state government is yet to publicly react to the judgment at the time of filing this report.