The National Judicial Council has been accused of failing to disclose the outcome of its investigation into petitions bordering on the alleged unprofessional and unethical conduct of judicial officers who are suspected child traffickers in Delta State despite acknowledging the petitions.
SaharaReporters learnt that the petitions were written by a human rights activist and Delta State Coordinator of the Take-It-Back movement, Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, on June 6 and July 10, 2023, addressed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of NJC, Justice Kayode Ariwoola.
One of the petitions was on "a case of manifest bias, malicious detention and alleged impersonation of the Attorney-General of the Federation and promotion of unethical brotherhood among serving and retired judges who are suspected child traffickers in a criminal suit being heard at the Federal High Court, Warri Division by Justices: Okon Abang and Terhemba Tsoho respectively."
The CJN office in a letter signed by Chief Justice Ariwoola on July 3 stated that it was investigating the petition written by Aghogho.
The second petition said it added “additional facts in support of the filed petition dated 4/6/23 as it concerns the ongoing multimillion naira fraud and extortion of the defendant herein at the federal high court, warri division in fulfilment of bail condition in connivance with Justices; Okon Abang and John Terhemba Tsoho vide operation of illegal bond agents to wit: the registrar of the federal high court, warri division, Mrs Anigboro Enonuya and a proxy, Mr Atubi Johnson Oghenekevwe”.
A letter dated August 8, 2023, and signed by Chief Justice Ariwoola also acknowledged “receipt of your petition dated 10th July, 2023, on the above subject matter and to inform you that action is being taken, please”.
"Up to date, the NJC hasn't written me to notify me whether my petitions were dismissed nor currently being investigated?" the petitioner told SaharaReporters on Tuesday.
At the National Judicial Council's 104th meeting held between December 6 and 7, 2023 and chaired by the CJN, Justice Ariwoola, the council considered the reports of other Investigation Committees that had concluded their sittings, and dismissed the petitions written against Justice Ekaete F. F. Obot, Chief Judge, Akwa Ibom State; Justice Benson C. Anya of High Court Abia State; Justice Z. B. Abubakar of Federal High Court, Hon. Justice Opufaa Ben-Whyte and Augusta Uche K. Chuku of the High Court of Rivers State, for being unmeritorious, or withdrawal of petition by the petitioners.
However, Justice A. I. Akobi of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was to be issued a letter of guidance to take proper charge and control of his court.
The plenary also considered the report of its three Preliminary Complaints Assessment Committees on 51 fresh petitions written against Federal and State judicial officers and decided to constitute 11 panels to investigate petitions that had merits and dismissed the remaining petitions for being sub judice, having been withdrawn, and the subject judges having retired from service.
A statement issued by the NJC Director of Information, Soji Oye, Esq. said, “Council also resolved to report A. A. Aribisala (SAN) to Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC) for investigation and disciplinary action, for the unpalatable and derogatory remarks he made against a judicial officer and by extension, the NJC in his petition to the council.”
“It also received notification of retirements of seven judicial officers and notification of deaths of six serving judicial officers of Federal and State courts,” a statement from the NJC had added.
But there was no mention of Aghogho's petitions in Delta State despite the NJC acknowledging it had commenced investigations into the matter since July.
Aghogho has been in detention with the Take-It-Back Movement calling for the release of the group’s coordinator in Delta.
The activist had been at loggerheads with the police in the state after he protested against the lack of police vehicles for an investigation involving a child trafficking case.
He specifically accused the then-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.
Jimeta died in February 2023 in Benin City at 58.
In a petition to the then-Inspector-General of Police, Baba Usman, the activist 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.”
The activist was arrested on June 6, 2022, by the police force.
In December 2022, SaharaReporters reported how Aghogho petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court Abuja and the Secretary of the Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee (ACJMC) in Abuja on how P. N. Etumudon Esq. allegedly impersonated a lawyer from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation in filing the cyberstalking charges against Aghogho.
It alleged that this was done “by tempering with the preparedness of the court, fair hearing and has prompted the court to adjourn the case from November 24 to March 28, 2023 (a period of five months) for further cross-examination of the PW1, Joshua Omorere without the issuance of hearing notice and upon realisation of the false trial and continuously adjourned the hearing of the bail Application of the Defendant issued with hearing notice by the court dated 27/10/2022…”
It further read, "In November 2022, the office of the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation had demanded an explanation from 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 Aghogho and subsequently called for re-investigation of the case.
“The Inspector-General of Police has been asked to transfer the case file on the re-investigation of the case from the Gender Unit of the FCT Police Command to the Anti-Human Trafficking Department of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Force Headquarters Abuja in the interest of fairness, transparency and Justice.
“The re-investigation as ordered by the Attorney-General of the Federation is expected to deal with the allegation of child trafficking levelled against the office of the Delta State Commissioner of Police, the conduct and actions of CP Ali Mohammed Ari in allegedly indulging in child trafficking in Delta State, along with several other police officers serving in Delta State, the office of the Chief Judge of Delta State, a retired Chief Judge, Justice Marshal Umukoro who was accused of falsifying several National Judicial Council reports between 2018 and 2019, falsified NJC's reports, an action that violates section 153 of the 1999 constitution(as amended), all in a bid to conceal the missing Juvenile Courts constituted in Delta State Judiciary in 1991 and 50 family courts (children's court) constituted in the Delta State Judiciary in 2013 with records of thousands of children allegedly stolen through the Delta State Judiciary.
“This happened while he was the Chief Judge of Delta State and to shield himself and other suspected child traffickers who are predominantly staff members of the Delta State Judiciary from prosecution as alleged by Comrade Aghogho.
“Aghogho has openly in several press statements, accused the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Delta State Police Command, DSP. Bright Edafe of indicting his Commissioner of Police when he via a press statement dated 11/5/2022 also misdirected himself and in a show of shame during a press briefing at Asaba upheld and promoted child trafficking as part of the functions of the Nigeria Police Force when he affirmed that the Delta State Police Command had been transferring exploited children to the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs for adoption without any legal authority to back up his claim from the Child's Rights Act 2003.”
SaharaReporters on August 25, 2022, reported that Aghogho petitioned the then 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 including DCP Olajide Kolawole, ACP Abubakar Argungu, CSP Fidelis Odunna, SP Orawemen Vinscent, CSP Dennis C. Eboh, Mrs Flora Alanta, CSP Ejiroghene Adegor, Inspector Ntada Innocent, DSP Irabor Sunday, DSP Justina Bariwei, DSP Bright Edafe, Joshua Omorere, Fred Ugheni, Mrs Oghenekevwe Agas and Inspector Rachael Obi.
Others include Emmanel Daubryl Esq, Ahmed Gambo Saleh Esq, Ese Gams Owe Esq, Harrison Attiene Esq, P.N Etumudon Esq, J.A. Amahi Esq, A.L. Aikpokpo Martins (Mrs), Isaiah Bozimo Esq, Efe Jesin Odogwu (Mrs), Timothy Agbaragu Esq, Justices: Emmanuel Z. Dolo, Marshal Umukoro (retired), I.T Mohammed (retired) and then-Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Mohammed Ali.
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) and the current Chief Justice of Nigeria, Ariwoola 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 trumped-up charges instead.