ALLEGED CHILD TRAFFICKING: Delta CP, Ali Plans To Frame Or Kill Me, Rights Activist Cries Out

IGP Usman Baba Alkali

"The Delta State CP is now posing as a threat to life of Aghogho and this trend is worrisome because no one should be a judge in their own cause." Comrade Aghogho.

"It’s one of the cardinal rules of natural justice that no one should act as a judge in a case in which they have a personal (vested) interest." 

The Delta State Coordinator of a pro-democracy and Human Rights group, Take It Back (TIB), Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho has petitioned the Delta State Commissioner of Police, CP Ari Muhammed Ali, saying he is planning to frame him up or possibly, kill him in his attempt to investigate the allegations of child trafficking, banditry and terrorism levelled against him by the group.

This is contained in a petition signed and sent to Our Correspondent in Warri by ComradeAghogho.

In the petition, Aghogho copied CP Ari Mohammed Ali, the Police Public Relation Officer, PPRO, DSP Bright Edafe, the Area Commander, Burutu, the Force Public Relation Officer Abuja (FPPRO), the Coordinator, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Asaba, Alpheus Ngwu and the Chairman, Delta State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalist, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu.

Aghogho recalled that, on/about February 2022, CP Ari Mohammed Ali had claimed to have rescued 22 children from street begging suspected to be from South-East states of Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi from suspected child traffickers in Warri amongst others and these children were subsequently trafficked outside the state without the approval of the Family Court of Delta State. 

It will be recalled that, Comrade Aghogho in a video message that has gone viral has alleged the Delta State Commissioner of Police of child trafficking, banditry and terrorism and being responsible for the disappearance of over ten thousand children from Delta State.

Vide a Police invitation letter which emanated from the office of the Area Commander, Burutu, dated 5/04/2022 titled “Police invitation letter” addressed, Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho reads in parts “Your attention is needed in this office in connection with a case of fact finding, you are hereby requested to report here on the 7th day of April 2022 at about 100hours. You will please bring along with you, copy of this letter. On your arrival, you will report to the Area Commander.”

It was observed that the said Police invitation letter was bereft of the offence allegedly committed by Aghogho and the name of the Petitioner to the Police and a ploy to frame up Aghogho or possibly kill him. 

Accusing the CP further, “the Delta State CP is now posing as a threat to life of Aghogho and this trend is worrisome because no one should be a judge in their own cause. It’s one of the cardinal rules of natural justice that no one should act as a judge in a case in which they have a personal (vested) interest”, Aghogho said.

But in a related development, the Inspector General of Police who had acknowledged the Petition dated 18/3/2022 written by Take It Back (TIB) movement, Delta state Chapter containing the allegations of the 22 children allegedly trafficked by the Delta State CP in February 2022 and another case involving one Jamila Shagari ‘F’ ‘16years’ in 2021 and vide a letter dated 26th march, 2022 referenced CZ: 7050/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.143/143 has subsequently ordered the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone ‘5’ Headquarters Benin to review the allegations amongst others, against Delta CP and furnish him with report.

However, Aghogho who re-echoed the powers of the Family court of Delta State has said that, the Family Court of Delta State was established under Section 142 of the Delta State Child’s Rights Law 2008 and Section 149 of the Child’s Rights Act 2003 respectively and has exclusive and unlimited jurisdiction to deal with cases relating to custody of children as nobody has the power to transfer any child from Delta State without the approval of the Court.

Aghogho has accused the CP of abducting children with trump up allegations with the machinery of the Nigeria Police Force and trafficking them through officials of the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs in contravention of the provisions of Child’s Rights Act 2003 and the Delta State Child’s Rights Law 2008 respectively thereby circumventing the Family Court of Delta State who has the exclusive powers in granting custody of children.

The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe is yet to respond to a message sent to him on his WhatsApp page.