Denmark has suspended adoptions from Nigeria less than a
month after Lagos police arrested eight people at a suspected baby factory.
"I have decided to suspend all adoption from Nigeria with immediate
effect," Denmark's minister for children tweeted. "We must do
everything we can to protect the children and to give the families peace of
mind," he said in a separate statement.
The minister, Manu Sareen, said he
had taken the decision after the Danish regulator, the National Social Appeals
Board, said it was "no longer justifiable to adopt children from the
country". The board said it was difficult to ensure a lawful and ethical
adoption process from Nigeria, but added that couples who had been matched with
a child would not be affected by the ban.
Further information was required from the organisation that
helps Danish couples adopt from Nigeria, AC International Child Support, before
making a permanent decision, it added. In March, Nigerian police arrested
several people, including eight pregnant women, during a raid on a house in
Lagos. The women planned to sell their newborns for $2,000 (£1,200) each,
reports suggest. There have been several raids on supposed Nigerian baby
factories since 2011, with more than 100 women discovered during such
operations. Investigations by Nigeria's anti-trafficking agency that year
revealed that babies were being sold for up to $6,400 each. Buyers tend to be
couples who are unable to conceive, and boys typically fetch a much higher
price than girls.
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