Source: www.csw.org.uk
Date: September 20, 2025
‘We are grateful that some of the children have now been released, and we appreciate the efforts of our lawyer in securing their freedom…’
Today we join with the prayers of the Tarfa family in Nigeria, giving thanks for a long-awaited answer to prayer:
Last month, eight of the Du Merci children were released and reunited with Professor Solomon Tarfa and his wife Mercy. Praise God!
As many of you will know, the Tarfas were the co-founders of the Du Merci Centres for vulnerable Christian children in Kano and Kaduna. It’s been more than five and a half years since 27 children were seized from the orphanages, following the unjust arrest of Professor Tarfa on Christmas Day 2019.
Despite the professor’s eventual acquittal on charges of child abduction and running an illegal orphanage, 16 of the younger children were not returned.
We are relieved that eight of the older children joined the Tarfas in their new home in Plateau State on 14 August. But the eight youngest are still in a government-run orphanage where they are extremely vulnerable.
It is also concerning that the eight older children were only returned after one of the girls began experiencing mental health challenges which the orphanage staff could no longer address. For example, she began showing odd behaviour and speaking to herself. She also constantly demanded to return ‘home’ and made several attempts to leave with her belongings.
Professor Solomon and Mercy said:
‘We are grateful that some of the children have now been released, and we appreciate the efforts of our lawyer in securing their freedom. However, we still have concerns about the welfare and safety of the remaining children, and we will continue to advocate for their rights and well-being.’
Earlier this year, a Kano State High Court ruled that all of the children should be formally returned to the Tarfas on or before 19 March 2025. Having previously agreed to it, the Kano State authorities are now challenging this ruling.
Please pray:
- Giving thanks for the return of the eight children, while praying for their physical and mental recovery after this prolonged ordeal.
- For provision of every resource needed to accommodate the returned children.
- For the safety and wellbeing of the youngest children, who are now without their older siblings, in the same government-run orphanage where their sister suffered a mental breakdown.
- That the Kano State government will end the children’s trauma by returning them to the Tarfas without further delay.