Itwas intended to be an ordinary morning filled with therapy, humor, and well-organized schedules designed to assist children facing developmental difficulties in understanding their environment.
However, for eight-year-old Chinedu (not his real name), who has cerebral palsy and requires daily guided movement therapy, the day was different.
The following morning, after being washed and dressed by his caregiver at Magnificient Therapy Services in Yaba, Lagos, and getting ready for the usual routine of exercises that enable him to remain upright for extended periods, unexpected individuals abruptly entered the facility, and he was quickly carried into the arms of a staff member.
Tones escalated, items were moved outside, and unknown individuals determined to carry out an eviction notice assumed control of the space.
For Chinedu and 31 other children, the world they knew—safe spaces, kind teaching, and organized support—quickly turned into chaos and doubt.
Once regarded as a center for care, tolerance, and assistance for children facing developmental difficulties, it transformed into a setting of removal and subdued sorrow.
The disorderly situation occurred on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, as Magnificent Therapy Services, a well-established therapy and care center for children with special needs, was forcibly removed from the building it had been using for 16 years due to a court-ordered eviction stemming from an extended rental conflict.
The removal forced 32 children, some who couldn’t walk and others needing continuous care, to abruptly lose the stable setting they relied on for education, managing emotions, and staying safe.
For numerous children, routine is not a comfort; it is a vital support. Regular therapy, stable surroundings, and known caregivers are not just helpful frameworks; they are crucial in avoiding setbacks in physical, mental, and emotional growth.
The sudden closure of their therapy center, therefore, went beyond just losing a physical space. It meant losing a sense of security, routine, and stability.
This isn’t merely a structure that was taken from us,” co-founder and therapist Bidemi Jaiyesimi stated, his voice filled with deep feeling. “We lost a secure environment for children who rely on routine, care, and consistency to get through each day.
The removal happened at an alarming pace. In one instant, personnel were attempting to soothe and arrange the children; in the next, the therapy rooms were cleared, with furnishings carelessly thrown outside.
Children who were confused and upset, and who needed wheelchairs or physical help, were left outside the building in the weather, while their caregivers tried to calm them down.
“It occurred very quickly. Some of our children who couldn’t walk had to remain outside the building. That image will never leave my mind. Their possessions were spread out outside. It’s extremely heartbreaking,” Jaiyesimi said, wiping away tears from eyes that were red from crying.
Children who are vulnerable may experience intense emotional suffering, exhibit regressive behavior, and in certain instances, face health issues when there is abrupt change in their environment.
A number of the children at the facility have autism spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, dyslexia, and other developmental challenges that demand regular routines, targeted support, and a structured environment.
Some parents, who had placed their children under the center’s care and treatment, arrived in a state of alarm upon hearing about the eviction and were stunned by what they saw. Numerous ones quickly took their children back home.
However, not everyone had this choice. Orphans and children without close relatives were relocated to an unfinished structure as a temporary solution, while caring neighbors offered temporary housing.
Established in 2010 within a small two-bedroom home with only two kids, Sunday PUNCH witnessed the gradual development of Magnificient Therapy Services into a delicate yet essential sanctuary, offering support, treatment, and personalized care for children frequently marginalized by society.
However, sustainability has consistently remained vulnerable.
The facility, which currently employs 23 staff and cares for 32 children, accepts children according to what Jaiyesimi refers to as “mental age,” spanning from three to 32 years old.
He disclosed that it mainly relies on donations, with some parents giving between N80,000 and N100,000 every three months, sums that many families find difficult to manage due to increasing financial challenges.
“We were not opposed to moving. We were attempting to endure the process without leaving the children behind,” Jaiyesimi clarified.
He mentioned that the organization had received a six-month notice to leave and had been working to gather money for moving.
Reports indicate that requests for assistance were made to the Sabo Divisional Police Station. However, despite these attempts, the eviction still took place.
Currently uprooted, a difficult question still lingers: where will the children carry on not just their treatment, but also locate safety?
For kids with special needs, instability is more than just a hassle; it can cause serious harm. Unlike their counterparts in better-equipped settings who enjoy organized learning systems, specialized tools, and regular therapy routines, these children rely greatly on consistency and secure environments to succeed.
Jaiyesimi mentioned that without this support, the progress achieved through hard work over months or years can be easily lost.
“We are stuck now. These children can’t be relocated constantly like baggage. We require a secure, long-term location. This is a call for assistance,” the therapist said in a soft voice.
Jaiyesimi mentioned that the government was informed about the critical condition but characterized the assistance obtained thus far as inadequate because of conflicting priorities within Lagos State.
“We have communicated with the existing government bodies, but the assistance provided is insufficient. There are numerous needs, many children, and not enough systems designed specifically for situations like this,” he expressed sorrowfully.
Although the center faced challenges, it gained advantages due to its location near health institutions in Yaba, such as colleges of health technology, orthopaedic hospitals, and physiotherapy centers, where students and professionals engaged with the children for hands-on learning and care experience.
International child protection and health organizations have consistently highlighted the impacts of these deficiencies. The World Health Organisation points out that children with developmental disabilities need early, ongoing, and comprehensive care frameworks that encompass rehabilitation, schooling, and emotional support. Lacking such support, they face a high chance of being excluded from education, work, and community involvement throughout their lives.
In Nigeria, kids with disabilities encounter major challenges when it comes to being included, receiving education, and accessing medical care.
Although some children gain advantages from organized classrooms, assistive learning technologies, qualified therapists, and inclusive educational frameworks, these 32 children now encounter an unpredictable future without a secure place for therapy, education, or consistency.
In the same way, the United Nations Children’s Fund highlights that children with disabilities are part of the most vulnerable groups worldwide, encountering greater chances of being ignored, excluded from institutions, and having restricted access to necessary services.
UNICEF emphasizes that inclusion is not about charity but a fundamental right, and has urged governments to create structures that provide accessible healthcare, education, and community-focused assistance.
Both the WHO and UNICEF have repeatedly emphasized that abrupt interruptions in care, such as the loss of therapeutic services or being removed from supportive settings, can lead to lasting effects on a child’s growth, psychological health, and general welfare.
The groups promote consistent, family-focused, and community-backed care frameworks that ensure ongoing learning and recovery.
In addition to immediate shelter, supporters emphasize that what is urgently required goes beyond relocation, involving organized support through secure centers, ongoing financial assistance, equitable policies, and a more robust social safety net for children with developmental disabilities.
With the children spread out in temporary placements, their future remains unclear.
What is evident, nevertheless, is that each diagnosis is associated with a child who is entitled to respect, safety, and a secure environment for development.
For the time being, the secure haven in Yaba has vanished, leaving the children vulnerable to an unpredictable future.
“Everything we require at this moment is immediate assistance from the government and compassionate people,” Jaiyesimi implored.
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.Syndigate.info).
