Alleged Child Trafficking: TIB Replies PPRO DSP Edafe Over Alleged Statements

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe was silent on the claim of CP. Ali Mohammed Ari that most of the Police stations and commands in Delta State do not have records of children is very worrisome because these police stations and commands are responsible for the transfer of exploited children from their custody to child trafficking centres also known as ‘Orphanages ‘or ‘Orphanage Homes’ illegally approved by the Ministry of Women Affairs in Delta State. 

A pro-democracy and human right group, Take-It-Back has replied the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bright Edafe over a statement credited to him.

TIB Delta State Coordinator, Comrade Ighorhiowhunu Aghogho in a statement said the statement credited to the PPRO is a prima facie evidence that the Delta State Police Command has been indulging in act of child trafficking, banditry and terrorism in the state.

According to the group, "The said press statement was silent on the following facts as it concerns the activities of CP. Ali Mohammed Ari, Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command.

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe was silent on the letter dated 14/10/2021, referenced CB: 7000/IGP.SEC/ABJ/VOL.557/184, the Inspector-General of Police had ordered CP. Ali Mohammed Ari, Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command to deal with the content of the aforesaid Petition titled “Re: in the case of the alleged abduction and trafficking of over ten thousand children through the Delta State Police Command” but has refused to carry out the said order to date. 

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe was silent on the letter dated 11/11/2021 addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, we have also complained about the unprofessional conduct of CP. Ali Mohammed Ari of refusing to carry out the order of the inspector- General of Police with respect to the aforementioned Petition. 

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe was silent on the claim of CP. Ali Mohammed Ari that most of the Police stations and commands in Delta State do not have records of children is very worrisome because these police stations and commands are responsible for the transfer of exploited children from their custody to child trafficking centres also known as ‘Orphanages ‘or ‘Orphanage Homes’ illegally approved by the Ministry of Women Affairs in Delta State. 

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe was silent on the conduct of CP. Ali Mohammed Ari of not only unprofessional but centered towards acting against the interest of children in Delta State.

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe was silent on the fact that CP. Ali Mohammed Ari appears to be fraternizing with suspected child traffickers, bandits and terrorists who are mainly Delta State government officials including Mrs. Oghenekevwe Agas, Mr. Joshua Omorere and others who had infiltrated the Delta State Police Command to cause the disappearance thousands of children from Delta State.

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe was silent on the conduct of a commissioner of Police who is working against the interest of children by conspiring to trafficking them using the machinery of the Nigeria Police Force and at same time displaying utmost disregards for the Order of the Inspector-General of Police.

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe was silent on the fact that on/about the month of February 2022, CP. Ali Mohammed Ari conspired with Mrs. Oghenekevwe Agas, Permanente Secretary, Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs supervised the re-trafficking of 22 children who were victims of child trafficking apprehended at various spots in Warri by failing to take the affected children into Police Emergency Protection thereby contravening Section 44 of the Child’s Rights Act 2003.

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe was silent on the fact on /about 23 June 2021, CP. Ali Mohammed allegedly supervised the re-trafficking of Jamina Shagari ‘F’ ‘16years’ and three other children by failing to take the affected children into Police Emergency Protection thereby contravening Section 44 of the Child’s Rights Act 2003."

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe fails to expose the following bank accounts to wit: ECO BANK 2152023855, ZENITH BANK: 1011047631 being used by both officials of the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs and the Delta State Judiciary for allegedly operating a child trafficking/illegal adoption cartel in Delta State.

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe fails to expose Section 26-(1) of the Child’s Rights Act 2003 which provides as follows “No person shall remove or take a child out of the custody or protection of his father or mother, guardian or such other person having lawful care or charge of the child against the will of the father, mother, guardian or other person (2) A person who contravenes the provisions of subsection (1) of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction."

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe fails to expose Section 149 of the Child’s Rights Act 2003 which provides as follows “There shall be for each state of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, a court to be known as the Family Court for the purposes of hearing and determining matters relating to children.”

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe fails to expose Section 152 (4d) of the Child’s Rights Act 2003 which provides as follows “The Court at the high Court level shall have power to deal with divorce and custody of children.

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe fails to expose Section 126(1) of the Child’s Rights Act 2003 which provides as follows “An application for adoption shall be made to the court in such form as may be prescribed and shall be accompanied with –(a) where the applicant is married couple, their marriage certificate or a sworn declaration of marriage (b) the birth certificate or sworn declaration of age of each applicant (c) two passport photographs of each applicant (d) a medical certificate of the fitness of the applicant from a Government hospital and (e) such other documents, requirement and information as the court may require for the purposes of the adoption.

"The said DSP. Bright Edafe fails to expose Section 143(1) of the Child’s Rights Act 2003 which provides as follows “No adopter or any other person shall-(a) except with the sanction of the court, receive or agree to receive any payment or reward, in consideration for or for the facilitation of the adoption of a child under this act or (b) make or give or agree to make or give to an adopter any payment or reward the receipt of which is prohibited by this subsection.

"However, the claim by DSP. Bright Edafe that the effort of Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho is aimed at blackmailing the command into abandoning the numerous criminal cases against him with a view to escaping justice is not true as the allegations against the Delta State Police Command is currently under investigation by the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC)Asaba and the Nigeria Police Force, Zone ‘5’ Headquarters Benin respectively.

"I dare the say DSP. Bright Edafe to state the said numerous criminal cases against Comrade Aghogho as we have reported CP. Ari Mohammed Ali to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of his intention to frame up Comrade Aghogho before now

"DSP. Bright Edafe and CP Ari Mohammed Ali are the ones who are aimed at blackmailing Comrade Aghogho into abandoning the numerous criminal cases against the said CP and we will not fold our hands, watch a misinformed, ill-intended and disgruntle Commissioner of Police to drag the good name of Comrade Aghogho to the mud or make comments that are capable of bringing the name of Take It Back in Delta State into disrepute."