Group Advances Advocacy for Child Rights and Fight Against Domestic Violence.

A civil society organization, GLOBAL INTEGRITY CRUSADE NETWORK (GICN) in collaboration with other groups has began a nationwide advocacy to end violence against women as well as campaign to strengthen child’s rights in the country.

The group under the auspices of COALITION FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN RIGHTS PROTECTION (COALITION-WCRP) is a collection of over 9 civil society organisations across the country.

Speaking on behalf of the group at a press conference in Abuja, the convener, Barr Edward Omaga said the aim of the coalition is to tackle headlong the phenomenal problems of violence against women, child rights breach and all forms of discrimination capable of preventing children from reaching their full potentials in life.

Barr Omaga noted that the move became imperative following the pathetic case of Mrs. Rabi Achimugu and her children whose rights are being violated by her husband.

He called on the relevant authorities to step in and stem the tides for justice to prevail.

Below is the full text of the briefing.

BEING A TEXT OF PRESS BRIEFING BY THE COALITION FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN RIGHTS PROTECTION (COALITION-WCRP) HELD AT THE ASPIRE, 2ND FLOOR, MERIT HOUSE, MAITAMA, ABUJA ON MONDAY, 6TH JANUARY, 2020 TO SEEK JUSTICE FOR JALILA, ZAHARA, ZAHEERA, ABUBAKAR ACHIMUGU JNR. AND THEIR MOTHER

Protocols
As a pro-democracy, human rights and ant-corruption Civil Society Organization, GLOBAL INTEGRITY CRUSADE NETWORK (GICN) is leading eight other sister groups across Nigeria under the auspices of COALITION FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN RIGHTS PROTECTION (COALITION-WCRP) to tackle headlong the phenomenal problems of violence against women, child rights breach and all forms of discrimination capable of preventing children from reaching their full potentials in life. There is no doubt that we live in a society which is male dominated in terms of how opportunities are shared and resources allocated. Most times, women and children who are the most vulnerable are viewed and treated in manners that depict them as less important. Unfortunately, several cases abound where mothers are humiliated, stripped of joint properties and denied access to their children for no just cause but their voices are not heard.
Gentlemen of the Press, we present to you the pathetic case of Mrs. Rabi Achimugu who got married to her husband, Alhaji Abubakar Adaji Achimugu, under the Igala native law and custom on 20th September, 2003. Thereafter, the couple solemnized their union under the Marriage Act on 26th September, 2003 at the Federal Marriage Registry, Ikoyi, Lagos before proceeding to perform yet another elaborate Islamic marriage ceremony in Lagos on 4th October, 2003 with reception same date. At all times material to the marriage, Mrs. Achimugu and her children named Miss Jalila Achimugu (15 years), Miss Zahara Eleojo Achimugu, Miss Zaheera Unekwuojo Achimugu (both 11 years) and Yahya Abubakar Achimugu Jnr. (9 years) who were born in Northern Ireland, London and USA, respectively lived with Alhaji Achimugu at No. 15, Anthony Enahoro Street, Off Ngozi Okonjo Iweala Street, Utako, Abuja.

It was on 2nd December, 2016 while Mrs. Achimugu was driving home along Berger Express Way, Abuja that Alhaji Achimugu physically attacked her and caused serious damage to her car based upon his ‘suspicion’ that she was engaging in sexual activities with a man inside the car. Mrs. Achimugu promptly reported the incidence to the Police as she feared for her life but on getting to the house that fateful evening, she discovered that Alhaji Achimugu had broken into her room and thrown all her belongings out, saying she must pack and leave the house. The husband did not stop there but broke into her wife’s box and took the International Passports of the four children. Alhaji Achimugu also took from her wife’s box land documents they purchased jointly in CBN Quarters, Garki and Jahi areas of Abuja together with her personal belongings like pure gold and diamond jewelries.

To add insult to injury, Alhaji Achimugu invited his family members to the house that night to intimidate Mrs. Achimugu, calling her all sorts of unprintable names. At the end, she was forced to leave the house late night, without any of her children. From reliable information at our disposal, the children now live at House 12, Cameron Street, Brains & Hammers Estate, Life Camp, Abuja with their father and one strange woman named Hajia Hauwa Bello whom he introduced to them as his “new wife”. We are aware that he has already put modalities in place to take the children out of the country without the consent of their mother; so as to completely severe any form of communication between them. This prompted our Coalition causing GICN to write letters to the Irish Ambassador, British High Commissioner, US Ambassador and Comptroller-General of Nigerian Immigration Service on 19th November, 2019 alerting them on the need to be vigilant so that Alhaji Achimugu does not carry out his plans.

We have already been afforded a response on 21st November, 2019 by the Embassy of Ireland, wherein assurances were given that any woman who appears with Alhaji Achimugu to present herself as mother of the children for purposes of renewing their International Passports which expired in 2017 will be arrested and handed over to security agencies for attempted human trafficking. Meanwhile, Mrs. Achimugu had on Monday, 18th November, 2019 filed a Direct Criminal Complaint before the Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse Magisterial District sitting at Wuse Zone 2, Abuja against Alhaji Achimugu through her lawyers, Messrs Graylaw Solicitors, a human rights orientated law firm. She is by the said Direct Criminal Complaint applying that Warrant of Arrest be issued to bring Alhaji Achimugu to book for his wicked acts which in law constitute the offences of Bigamy, Perjury, Assault, Mischief, Criminal Intimidation and Criminal Force contrary to Sections 156, 158, 263 – 266, 326, 327, 384, 385, 396 and 397 of the Penal Code Law. In no distant time from now, the FCT Police Command will complete investigation, lay hands on Alhaji Achimugu and arraign him in court.

Fellow Compatriots, we wish to notify you that Alhaji Achimugu on 25th November, 2019 wrote an abusive letter coated with heavy threat to the Chief Convener of COALITION-WCRP in the person of Barr. Edward Omaga. The letter which was received at the office of GICN on 28th November, 2019 contains lies fabricated to malign the character of Mr. Omaga but he has chosen to maintain his usual cool. Alhaji Achimugu after so much ranting in the letter had given an ultimatum of 72 hours to Mr. Omaga and his organization, demanding that they both apologize to him otherwise further actions will be taken. On 2nd December, 2019 Alhaji Achimugu petitioned Mr. Omaga to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) alleging that he is using GICN platform for profiteering and libel. In reaction, Mr. Omaga has since 23rd December, 2019 responded to the said petition, urging that same be dismissed on the ground that no prima facie case of professional misconduct or abuse of privilege was made out against him. Whilst we await the outcome of NBA investigation, the Coalition takes solace in the fact that GICN parades a retinue of highly courageous lawyers who are not be perturbed by the antics of Alhaji Achimugu, irrespective of his deep pocket or connection.

As events unfold in this struggle for justice, the whole world will know who is telling the truth between Mrs. Achimugu and her husband. Therefore, we beseech all of us present here that the solidarity and love we have shown to Jalila, Zaheera, Zahara, Abubakar Achimugu Jnr. and their mother today must not quench. Let us continue to rally round them until justice is attained. We term as wicked and barbaric the action of Alhaji Achimugu who has denied the mother of his four children the opportunity of seeing them for the past three years. The most excruciating part of this situation is that the twins (Zahara and Zaheera) were born with sickle cell anemia. You all will agree with us that these kids deserve above everything else extra medical and biological parental attention that can be best administered by a mother. It is laughable to note that Alhaji Achimugu has gone to doctor some medical reports indicating that the status of those children miraculously changed from SS to AA shortly after their mother was forcefully evacuated from the matrimonial home. Granted that miracles do happen, we cannot sit here and believe this one coming from a man who has no truth in his dictionary. After all, leveling of frivolous allegations against his wife over the years has become a hobby for Alhaji Achimugu.

We advocate that Alhaji Achimugu gives split custody of the four children, who are still minors, to their biological mother. By split custody we mean a situation whereby the children reside with their mother while the father takes care of their responsibilities including feeding, education, medical care and so on until they can decide to live with any of their parents after attaining the age of majority, which is constitutionally fixed at 18 years in Nigeria. It has never been heard on planet earth that a step mother, no matter how kind she may be, can take of children that are not hers better than the mother of those children. In as much as the presence of a father figure is important in the overall growth process of a child, we maintain that the best training a child can be exposed to early in life would be given by the mother especially when the children in question are girls.

The gap created by Alhaji Achimugu between the four children and their biological mother is a clear breach of Section 14 of the Child Rights Act 2003 as applicable to the Federal Capital Territory Abuja. The Section provides that “Every child has a right to parental care and protection, and accordingly, no child shall be separated from his parents against the wish of the child except – for the purpose of his education and welfare or in the exercise of a judicial determination in accordance with the provisions of this Act, in the best interest of the child”. On this legal note, we submit that the separation of Jalila, Zaheera, Zahara and Abubakar Achimugu Jnr. from their mother is illegal, callous and unacceptable. The extent to which the physic of the children who are living with a strange woman that is a biological parent to two other children from her previous marriage can be affected is better imagined than said. There has been no judicial determination regarding the custody of those children yet, as Alhaji Achimugu has been buying his way through to truncate all the court cases filed in Abuja, Ogun and Nasarawa States from getting to judgment stage.

We stand with Mrs. Achimugu and reiterate that it is a breach of the Child Rights Act 2003 to separate children from their mother. The claims against Alhaji Achimugu bordering on bigamy and other offences are already before the court and we shall not dwell more on them. The time has come for all of us to rise up and speak out for many women and children who are suffering similar fate of rights abuse nationwide. We call on relevant bodies and agencies to wit; the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the Federal Ministry of Justice, Office of the First Lady of Nigeria, UNICEF, UN Women, Pro-Women and Children Civil Society Organizations to join in this cry for justice.

Once again, thanks for your time and happy new year.

Signed:

Abiodun Sodiq BABALOLA, Esq.
(Global Integrity Crusade Network – GICN)

Tersagh UNANDE, Esq.
(Make Nigeria Better Initiative – MNBI)

Mrs. Mabel ONWENMA
(Women of Purpose Development Foundation)

Silverteen AROH
(Save the Child Initiative Nigeria)

Ene JONATHAN
(Centre for Human Rights Advancement in Nigeria – CHRAN)

Joseph Chinelo NWAEGBU, Esq.
(Lawyers United for Peace, Justice and Development)

Princess Elizabeth IDAHOSA
(Liberty Nigeria)