The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation had demanded explanation from these law enforcement agencies including the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficked in - Person (NAPTIP), Dr Fatima Waziri – Azi on the role her agency played in the allegations raised against Delta Government officials by the illegally detained Delta Take-It-Back Coordinator, Aghogho Ighorhiohwunu .
The Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, is now in receipt of responses from law enforcement agencies and the Attorney-General of Delta State, Isaiah Bozimo Esq who was accused of abuse of office, aiding and abetting of suspected child traffickers in Delta State, Sahara Reporters can authoritatively report.
The office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation had demanded explanation from these law enforcement agencies including the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficked in - Person (NAPTIP), Dr Fatima Waziri – Azi on the role her agency played in the allegations raised against Delta Government officials by the illegally detained Delta Take-It-Back Coordinator, Aghogho Ighorhiohwunu .
The Zonal Commander, NAPTIP, Benin, Nduka Nwannwenne on Wednesday, November 2 contacted Mrs. Hope O. Ighorhiohwunu, the wife of detained human rights activist and Delta State Take It Back Coordinator, demanding for the whereabouts of her husband, Aghogho in order to lead them through the investigation process.
"We are in receipt of his petition from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation, we need him in Benin to lead us through the investigation process", Nduka added.
The AGF had reacted to the petition written by Aghogho over charges of cyberstalking filed against him and his subsequent detention by Justice Okon Abang of the Federal High Court Warri at the Federal Custodial Centre(Prison),Warri.
The petition dated 3/8/2022 is titled “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 Odogwu respectively.”
Aghogho called for another investigation into the matter due to visible compromise.
In his response, via a letter dated September 20, 2022, referenced DPPA/AGHOGHO/673/22 and addressed to Aghogho, the AGF through Yewande Gbola-Awopetu, head of SGBV Response/Gender Unit, partly stated: “This office refers you to your petition dated 3/8/2022 in respect of the above subject matter.
“I am directed to request that you forward to this office the charges and court processes to enable this office to take an informed decision that is deemed appropriate.”
“Please accept the warm regard of the Honourable Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice,” it added.
Aghogho had accordingly sent the documents to the office of the Attorney General.
It will be recalled that the Executive Chairman, Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Mr. Abdulrasheed Bawa, had in a letter dated 27 April, 2021, referenced CR: 3000/EFCC/BNZ /DOPS/VOL.1/06 claimed, the investigation had been concluded and the issue of the process or procedure of child adoption which formed the crux of the allegation as emphasized in the aforesaid petition written by Aghogho was firmly under the purview of NAPTIP, hence this necessitated Aghogho to make a written statement to NAPTIP Zonal Office, Benin on June 2, 2021.
NAPTIP DG, Dr Fatima Waziri – Azi refused to investigate the subject matter to date.
Aghogho had alleged that the “Children Adoption law” in Delta State requiring prospective adopters to apply to the children’s court (known as Family Court) for the adoption of children in the state had been grossly violated with suspected child traffickers and adoption racketeers were 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.
Aghogho further alleged that “This has led to the disappearance of over 10,000 innocent children from Delta State to unknown destinations across the globe.”
NAPTIP has suddenly kept mute when the Director of the National Population Commission (NPC), Asaba, Mr. Aki Emmanuel Z. has affirmed via a letter dated 16/2/2022 referenced DT/A154/51O that the Delta State Child Adoption Register, a register created by law containing the names of all legally adopted children by the Delta State Judiciary from 1991 through 2021 as requested by the Nigeria Police Force 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.
This is even when Section 149 of the Child's Rights Act 2003 and the provisions of the Birth, Death (Compulsory) Registration Act 1991(as amended) mandated the Registrar of the National Population Commission to be the custodian of the Delta State Adopted Children Register.
NAPTIP in two separate letters written to Aghogho titled Re: Trafficking and abduction of children by the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs , Community and Social Development Asaba, gross violation of the trafficking in persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act 2015 and the Delta State Child’s Right Law dated 19th march 2018 and 21st June 2016 referenced NAPTIP/NLM/782/1 respectively, declined jurisdiction to investigate cases of repeated child trafficking and illegal adoption in Delta State claiming that the said cases are outside the mandate of NAPTIP.
"The said letters which emanated from the office of NAPTIP at Abuja and signed by one Amugo Ijeoma Mary (Mrs) for the Acting Director General confirms the insalubrious romance of NAPTIP with the Delta State Government", Aghogho further alleged.
Aghogho had been detained at the Federal Custodial Centre, Warri, on offences bordering on cyberstalking and posting of information claimed to be false on Facebook by the police, was said to contravene the provisions of the Cybercrime Act 2015.
Meanwhile, Aghogho had sought for a fresh bail application amongst others, an order releasing him on bail on the most liberal terms from his continued remand at the Federal Correctional Centre (Prison) in Warri on the grounds of presumption of innocence, applicant's willingness to stand his trial without jumping bail, availability of substantial sureties, the offences in which the defendant is being charged are bailable offences and the charges against the defendant are Quasi-criminal charges.
The office of the Attorney-General of Delta State has equally filed and served on Aghogho a "counter-affidavit" opposing the bail application.
The 14-paragraphs counter-affidavit dated 26/10/2022 deposed to by one Oniyide Oladele, the litigation clerk serving at the Ministry of Justice Warri and filed by J.A Amahi Esq, state counsel,Ministry of Justice, Warri proclaimed that the averments contained in the defendant's bail application are false and are hereby denied.
He subsequently urged the court not to admit the activist to bail.
But in a further and better Affidavit deposed to by Mrs Hope Ighorhiohwunu, wife of the Applicant( Aghogho) dated 31/10/2022 has called for the setting aside of the counter Affidavit filed by J.A Amahi Esq on ground of incompetency.
The affidavit partly reads "That J.A. AMAHI ESQ, the prosecuting counsel is a state counsel attached to the office of the Attorney-General of Delta State and NOT the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation."
"That the charges/information filed into this honourable court in this instant case were filed by P.N ETUMUDON ESQ attached to the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation Abuja on 21/7/2022."
"That the office of the Attorney-General of Delta State is NOT under/or a Department under the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation."
"That there is no AUTHORISATION from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation authorizing J.A AMAHI ESQ to prosecute this case on behalf of the Attorney-General of the Federation."
"That it most likely that J.A AMAHI ESQ may be impersonating as a prosecutor authorised by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation Abuja."
"That there is no LEGAL ADVICE from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation with respect to this case."
"That the name of this honourable court is NOT on the face of the counter -affidavit filed by the Respondent and dated 26/10/2022."
"That the name of the court "IN THE FEDERAL HIGH OF NIGERIA " described on the face of the Counter-Affidavit filed and dated 26/10/2022 is not known to law" amongst others, it added.
Aghogho was supposed to appear at the Federal High Court, Warri on Thursday, November 24, but the matter couldn't go on because Justice Okon Abang wasn't available on the said date.
The Registrar would hence get a new date and communicate to all parties.
Meanwhile, hearing notices have been served by the courts to all parties for the bail to be heard on December 5, 2022.
Nigerian Attorney-General Writes Monitoring Agency, NAPTIP Over Child Trafficking Allegations Against Delta... by Sahara Reporters on Scribd