Rights Group Decry Illegal Detension of Ibadan Business Woman, Alhaja Shakirat Ismail

A human rights organization, the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ) has forwarded a Petition Letter to the concern authorities in the country over illegal arrest and unlawful detention of Ibadan Business woman, Alhaja Shakirat Ismail over frivolous and trump-up allegation by National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP),saying that NAPTIP officials acted in contrary to the Section 35 sub-section (5) of the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The rights group had earlier raised an alarm over unlawful detention of Alhaja Shakirat Ismail for Twelve(12) days without trial by turning  the Lagos NAPTIP Zonal office to Court of  Lagos where they ordered for illegal detention of innocent Ibadan business woman.  

The NAPTIP officials including one Omolara Ibrahim (+2348122019117) alleged in the illegality and unprofessional conduct ,have been dragged before the Supervisory Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Minister of Interior, Inspector General of Police( IGP),Director General, State Security Service(SSS),Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission(NHRC),Commandant- General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC),DG NAPTIPa and host of others.

The group,in its Petition dated Thursday 12th of June,2024 and signed by its Chairman,Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman,call for thorough ,credible and unbiased investigation into the alleged unlawful and unprofessional conduct of NAPTIP officials and their collaborators among the officials  of the Nigeria Security and  Civil Defence Corps( NSCDC) in the Oyo State Command in Ibadan.

This Petition was made available to newsmen through the CHRSJ’s Media Office on Sunday,urging the concern authority not to allow the subject matter to be sweept under the carpet.

The Petition reads in part, “Lagos NAPTIP office and particularly, the acclaimed Investigation Officer (I.O.) in-charge of the matter, one Mrs. Omolara Ibrahim with phone number:-(+2348122019117), hurriedly looking for way to charge the innocent Ibadan business woman, Alhaja Shakirat Ismail to Court to cover their ineptitude after spending Twelve (12) days in the illegal detention of Lagos NAPTIP office 

“The innocent Ibadan business woman, Alhaja Shakirat Ismail(+2348055374314/+2348083235284) had earlier alleged that Mrs. Omolara Ibrahim(+2348122019117) and his team were planning to kill her during their braggado manner of arresting her at her Gbagi Market shop in Ibadan on the 19th day of May, 2024, adding that Mrs. Omolara Ibrahim(+2348122019117) has been calling her to report back to their office in Lagos on 9th day of June, 2024, for illegal arraignment of Shakirat Ismail to cover their mess before their Director-General, Professor Fatima Waziri-Azi and committee to be set up to conduct thorough, credible and unbiased investigation into the illegal arrest and unlawful detention of Alhaja Shakirat Ismail.

 “The human rights organization has stumbled on an acclaimed Lagos NAPTIP Tracking Letter to the Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in- charge of Zone 2, Police Command, Onikan, Lagos where the identity of the person they were looking for, is quite different from innocent Ibadan business woman, Alhaja Shakirat Ismail(+2348055374314/+2348083235284).This was a clear missing of identity.

“According to the Lagos NAPTIP Tracking Letter with reference number:- NAPTIP/LZ/NPF/04/6/697, dated 31st of May, 2024 and signed by NAPTIP Lagos Commander, Mrs. Agboko Modupe Comfort(+2348034515357) with the titled: “Request for Assistance to Track Phone number and Arrest of suspected Human Trafficker- Stella Ogunmade aka Monoye ‘F’ “, the said Letter claimed to be forwarding to AIG Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos with the attention of the O/C ZB for Tracking in the Zonal Command.

“The Tracking Letter disclosed that the Agency is currently investigating a suspected case of human Trafficking/Buying or Selling of Human Beings involving the above named suspect who is at large.

“Investigation so far reveals that the suspect uses mobile telephone numbers-09034980383,07048896217, 09126451990 and her last known address is Sharp Corner Area, off Alao Akala Way, Ibadan,Oyo State.

“Consequently, we  hereby request your assistance in tracking her phone number and possible arrest in furtherance of our investigation.

“While thanking you for your usual cooperation in the joint task fight against the Human Trafficking, kindly accept the Director-General’s esteemed regards.”

Sulaiman, who doubles as Convener, Save Lagos Group(SLG), urged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. Kayode Egbetokun to caution the AIG Zone 2, Onikan Lagos, against being the tool to be used by the Lagos NAPTIP officials against the innocent Ibadan business woman, Alhaja Shakirat Ismail(+2348055374314/+2348083235284), adding that they knew that Police was there when the officials of the Lagos NAPTIP Command took the law into their own hand by detaining her(Alhaja Shakirat Ismail:+2348055374314/+2348083235284) illegally and unlawfully for twelve(12) good days, after which they claimed to write Tracking Letter dated 31st of May,2024, to AIG, Zone 2 Police Command, Onikan Lagos.

Sulaiman futher said that this was an act of illegality on the part of Lagos NAPTIP Command office for arresting the innocent Ibadan business woman.The innocent Ibadan business woman was arrested on 19th day of May, 2024 and she was released after Twelve(12) days of exposing the Lagos NAPTIP illegality by CHRSJ, precisely on the 31st of May, 2024 and the same said Tracking Letter dated 31st of May, 2024, which was issued to identify the original suspect they were looking for, instead of innocent victimized Ibadan business woman, Alhaja Shakirat Ismail(+2348055374314/+2348083235284) who was illegally arrested and unlawfully detained for twelve(12) days in their illegal custody.

“This is an afterthought from Lagos NAPTIP Zonal Command officials and ignorant is not known to law.When you are looking for ‘A’ and you arrested ‘F’. It shows you have ‘goofed already’ and if you want to talk on conspiracy in law, you must ready to proof beyond reasonable doubt before the competent Court of jurisdiction.”,Sulaiman submitted.