The activist had been at loggerheads with the police in the state after he protested the lack of police vehicles for an investigation involving a child trafficking case.
The Take-It-Back Movement led by human rights activist and Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has demanded the release of the Delta State Chapter Coordinator of the human rights group, Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho.
The activist had been at loggerheads with the police in the state after he protested the lack of police vehicles for an investigation involving a child trafficking case.
He specifically accused the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5 Benin, Lawan Tanko Jimeta, of compromising an ongoing child trafficking investigation involving top Delta State Government officials, police officers, and a retired chief judge among others.
In a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Baba Usman, the activist had alleged that Jimeta had tried everything possible to frustrate investigations into the case, urging the IGP to caution the AIG “if he the IGP is not part of the deal as officers in the zone boast about.”
He was on June 6 arrested in a gestapo and commando style unbefitting of the Nigeria Police Force.
Reacting, Juwon Sanya-Olu, National Coordinator of the group demanded the release of Aghogho.
He accused AIG Tanko Jimeta of failing to arrest suspects who dishonored police invitation for investigation including the retired Chief Judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro.
TakeItBack also wondered why the Assistant Inspector General allegedly formulated interim report when most of the accused failed to turn up for the investigation.
The group further blasted senior police officer for allegedly refusing to rescue hundreds of children currently in the den of child traffickers in Delta State as against the directive of the Inspector-General of Police.
The statement read, “Surprisedly, on Tuesday 9th June, 2022, without informing anyone, the Police took Com. Aghogho to Magistrate Court 1, Asaba. A police officer who took pity on Aghogho, secretly called members of the Take-It-Back who mobilised lawyers to court. Immediately the police saw the lawyer in court, they returned Aghogho to the police station with the claim that the magistrate was no longer coming to court and that they would return him the next day.
“On Wednesday 10th June, 2022, he was arraigned on charges beyond the Magistrate Court and the court accordingly remanded him in Ugwashuku Correctional center and matter adjourned to 24th June, 2022.
“For us in the TIB, it's our view that the whole trial was orchestrated by the police and other powerful persons Aghogho has been accusing of not coming clean in the Delta State Child trafficking saga. The national leadership of TIB holds this view because the Delta State Coordinator of the Take-It-Back Movement has raised the alarm and accused Police officers in the office of the IGP, the Police Service Commission Chairman of hiding petitions written against AIG Zone 5, Delta CP in compromising an ongoing massive child trafficking investigation involving Delta Police Officers, Delta Government officials, a retired Chief Judge and other individuals in Delta State.
“Before his arrest, he had consistently complained that some persons were hiding the petitions written against the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone 5, AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta and the Delta State Police Commissioner, CP. Ari Mohammed Ali respectively. On/about 19th May 2022, the Delta State branch of TIB wrote two Petitions dated 19/5/2022 titled ‘ Compromised investigation by the AIG Zone 5 in the case titled “Re- A case of forgery , false assumption of authority, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery , forcibly entry, perversion and obstruction of justice” while the other one was titled “ Unprofessional Act by the AIG in charge of Zone 5 Benin , Lawan Tanko Jimeta of compromising an ongoing massive child trafficking investigation involving Delta State Government officials, Police Officers, and a retired Chief Judge and Others”.
“Both Petitions were acknowledged by the Office of the Inspector-General of Police on 23/5/2022 by the Central Mail Collection Office Department of Finance and Admin, Force Headquarters Abuja. On enquiry from the Central Mail Collection Office Department of Finance and Admin, Force Headquarters Abuja Monday 30/5/2022, we were reliably informed that the IGP’s response to the petition dated 19/5/2022 titled “Re- A case of forgery , false assumption of authority, conspiracy to commit armed robbery, armed robbery , forcibly entry, perversion and obstruction of justice” was out but the IGP’s response to the other petition dated 19/5/2022 titled “ Unprofessional Act by the AIG in charge of Zone 5 Benin, Lawan Tanko Jimeta of compromising an ongoing massive child trafficking investigation involving Delta State Government officials, Police Officers, and a retired Chief Judge and Others” could not be found.
“Aghogho had said that not satisfied with the enquiry, he further made a formal report to the office of the NPF on Social Media via its hotline 08088450152 on 31/5/2022 but still no reasonable response. Com. Aghogho said he had encountered similar issues in the past when the Petition addressed to the Inspector- General of Police dated 18/3/2022 titled “Request for the immediate redeployment of CP. Ali Mohammed Ari, Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command over repeated disobedience to the Order of the Inspector-General with respect to the aforementioned Petition” which was acknowledged on 21/3/2022 went missing to date.
“Another instant case was the case of petition addressed to the Chairman, Police Service Commission(PSC)Abuja dated 9/11/2021 titled in the unprofessional conducts of the Delta State Commissioner of police, CP Ali Mohammed Ari, in participating in the abduction and trafficking of thousands of innocent children from Delta State and his blatant refusal in carrying out the directive of the inspector-general of police in providing the records, whereabouts and rescue of the affected children” which was acknowledged on 10/11/202. The response to the Petition could not be found to date.
“It will be recalled, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Alkali Buba Usman on two separate occasions, directed the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone ‘5’ Headquarters Benin AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta via a letter dated 22/11/2021 referenced 7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.560/352, and another dated 26th March 2022 reference CZ: 7050/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.143 to deal, review the subject matter and furnish reports accordingly.
“The Delta State Coordinator of TIB, Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho had earlier informed the general public that it has fixed May 19 to commence mass protest over the antics and frolics of the O/c X-Squad in charge of the case at Zone ‘5’ Headquarters Benin, One SP. Jane had deliberately refused despite several appeals to provide a police operational vehicle for the investigation.
“All efforts made by Comrade Aghogho on 18/5/2022 to interface with AIG proved abortive as the Personal Assistant (name unknown but can be identify) to AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta denied access to him; calls and SMS sent to the mobile phones of the AIG were not returned and remained unanswered, even when the AIG could be sighted sitting inside his office.
“The National leadership of the Take-It-Back Movement- Nigeria therefore raises these fundamental questions for the AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta to answer: (1) Why did the AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta repeatedly refused to provide Police Operational Vehicle for the investigation activities despite the intervention of Force Police Public Relation Officer(FPPRO)Abuja, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi?
“(2) Why did the AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta refused to arrest the suspects who dishonored his own invitation for the investigation including the retired chief judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro? (3) Why did AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta formulate an interim report when most of the accused failed to turn up for the investigation?
“(4) Why did AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta refused to rescue hundreds of children currently in the den of child traffickers in Delta State as against the directive of the Inspector-General of Police?
“(5) What was the action of AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta when the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Delta State Police Command, DSP Bright Edafe, via a press statement dated 11/4/2022 admitted on behalf of the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP. Ali Mohammed Ari, that the Delta State Police Command had been handing over exploited children to the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs but the said DSP Bright Edafe was unable to provide the law authorising the action of the Delta State Police command?
“(6) What was the action of AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta when the Permanent Secretary of the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Oghenekevwe Agas admitted in her statement before him that the said Ministry has been working in line with the Policy of the Delta State Government authorizing them to unlawfully interfere with the judicial process of child adoption in the state vis-à-vis enabling the Ministry to criminally sell adoption application forms at the rate of N20,000.00 and N50,000.00 respectively via the following accounts to wit: ECO BANK 2152023855, ZENITH BANK: 1011047631 and subsequently release the children unlawfully in the custody of the said Ministry, children which were unlawfully transferred to the said Ministry by the Delta State Commissioner of Police, for the purpose of illegal adoption/child trafficking.
“(7) Why is AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta referring the case file back to the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Mohammed Ali who is an accused in the matter, for continuation of investigation as against the directive of the Inspector-General of Police directing him to review and furnish report?”