In a petition signed by Aghogho and obtained by SaharaReporters, the activist alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), State Security Service (SSS), Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficked-In Person (NAPTIP) had the facts of the case but kept mute by “promoting injustice
A human rights activist, Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, has petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami over an alleged child trafficking investigation involving Delta State Government officials, police officers, and a retired chief judge among others.
In a petition signed by Aghogho and obtained by SaharaReporters, the activist alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), State Security Service (SSS), Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficked-In Person (NAPTIP) had the facts of the case but kept mute by “promoting injustice against children in Delta State.”
He added that the Delta State Commissioner for Justice and Director of Public Prosecution had similar facts but decided to shield the culprits and prosecute him on trump-up charges instead.
Aghogho insisted that the “Children Adoption law” in Delta State requiring a person planning to adopt children to apply to the children’s court (known as Family Court) for the adoption of children in the state had been grossly violated.
He alleged that suspected child traffickers and adoption racketeers are the ones now applying to Family Court and the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development Asaba for the adoption of children in the state.
The petition was copied to Femi Falana (SAN), Citizens Gavel Foundation For Social Justice, Omoyele Sowore and the National Coordinator, Take It Back (TIB) Movement, Nigeria.
The petition read in part, “In the matter of abuse of office, aiding and abetting suspected child traffickers in Delta state by the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, the Director of Public Prosecution of Delta State, Barrister Isaiah Bozimo and Mrs. Efe Jesin Odugwu respectively.
“Request for the investigation reports of EFCC, NAPTIP, SSS, ICPC, CCB, NHRC, AND NPC on the child trafficking offence allegedly committed by officials of the delta state judiciary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Commissioner of Police, Delta State.
“I am a human rights activist and the Delta State Coordinator of Take It Back (TIB) Movement, who is currently detained unlawfully at the Ogwashi-Uku Correctional Center (Prison) situated in Delta State by the Order of P.U Nsolo (Mrs) , the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate Court 1 Asaba on the guise of holding charge contrary to the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Delta State.”
The activists said the following points among others are incontrovertible, “That on/about 8/6/2022, P. U. Nsolo (Mrs) of the Magistrate Court 1 Asaba granted a remand Order confining me to Ogwashi-Uku Correctional Centre (Prison) in Delta State over trump up allegations of cyberstalking, false information and defamation of character in a bid to shield suspected child traffickers who are mainly state actors including the person of the immediate past chief judge of Delta State, Justice Marshal Umukoro(retired) , the Commissioner of Police Delta State, CP. Arli Mohammed Ari, the Commissioner of Women Affairs, Mrs Flora Alanta, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Oghenekevwe Agas, the office of the chief Judge of Delta State, and the Registrar National Population Commission amongst others.
“That on/about Thursday 21/7/2022, the office of the Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice Delta State filed a similar charge of cyberstalking, false information, and deformation of character against me with charge number FHC/WR/92C/2022 before Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Warri, an act that abuse the court process and a desperate ploy to shield the alleged state actors who are accused in the business of child trafficking in Delta State.
“The allegation of child trafficking levelled against the officials of Delta State Judiciary, Ministry of Women Affairs and the Commissioner of Police Delta State by me has been substantiated by the Director of the National Population Commission (NPC) Asaba, Mr. Aki Emmanuel Z. affirming via a letter dated 16/2/2022 referenced DT/A154/51O that the information requested by the Police is not within the jurisdiction of the NPC's office and therefore the NPC does not have such records and cannot be within its purvey. The letter is herein annexed as ANNEXURE PP1.
“The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Criminal Investigation Department Asaba -Delta State, ACP Garba Isah had requested for the Delta State Adopted Children Register, a register created by law containing the entries of legally adopted children in Delta State via a letter dated 14/2/2022 referenced AR: 3000/DTS/X/D10/VOL 4. The letter is herein annexed as ANNEXURE PP2.
“That the Child's Rights Act 2003 vide section 142 provides that the court in granting adoption order ought to have received an application from prospective Adopters and their lawyers and direct the National Population Commission to record the adoption order in the Delta State Child Adopted Register but these particular provisions of the law have been violated by the Delta State Judiciary for the purpose of child trafficking. The Registrar, National Population Commission is the legal custodian of the Delta State Adopted Children Register.
“The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Delta State Police Command, DSP. Bright Edafe via a press statement dated 11/5/2022 that the Delta State Police Command has been transferring exploited children to the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs for the purpose of adoption.
“The Delta State Police Command's wireless message also speaks volume. The wireless message with DTO number 201000/01/2022 referenced CB:4001/DTS/X/VOL.15/317 requesting for records of over ten thousand children from over 54 police formations within and across Delta State between 1991 through 2021 was also declined apart from Ekpan police station and a few others who submitted records of few children but could not provide the whereabouts of the affected children. The said Police Wireless message is herein annexed as ANNEXURE PP3.
"It should be noted herein that the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa via a letter dated 27/4/2021 referenced CR: 3000/EFCC/BNZ/VOL.1/06 has concluded the investigation into the alleged multi-million naira child trafficking cartel being operated by officials of the Delta State Judiciary and ministry of women Affairs and the matter has been transferred to the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficked -in Person (NAPTIP) owing to the fact that the process /procedures of adoption which form the crux of the allegation is firmly under NAPTIP's purview. The letter is herein annexed as ANNEXURE PP4.
“The following bank accounts to wit: ECO Bank 2152023855, Zenith Bank 1011047631 respectively being used by officials of the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs, police and Judiciary for the purpose of child trafficking had been X-rayed by both the EFCC and NAPTIP but they both decided to shield the culprits involved to date.”