The Ministry of Social Affairs and Microfinance recently detected several fake advertisements, particularly on the social network TikTok, where unauthorized individuals and organizations have been illegally offering children for adoption. These fraudulent activities not only constitute a serious criminal scam but also expose vulnerable children to severe risks of human trafficking and exploitation, in direct violation of Beninese national laws and international conventions ratified by the state.
To combat this misinformation, the government has reaffirmed that the Central Authority for International Adoption in the Republic of Benin (ACAIB) is the only institution legally empowered to manage the administrative phase of international adoptions. Furthermore, the judicial phase remains the exclusive domain of Benin’s competent courts, meaning no adoption can be initiated or finalized outside of this established legal system.
Georgette Evelyne Amen Y. Quenum, President of ACAIB, has denounced these illegal online practices and assured the public that the Ministry is fully mobilized to identify and dismantle the criminal networks behind these offers. Authorities have warned that both the perpetrators and their accomplices will face immediate prosecution under applicable national laws. The public is urged to remain highly vigilant and report any suspicious activity or digital advertisements claiming to offer children for adoption to the relevant authorities to ensure the continued protection of minors throughout the country.
RNK/ac/fss/abj/APA