By Austin Ogwuda
The Town Hall Media gathered that the Agency must have acted on the strength of a joint petition by Mrs. Taylor’s elderly mother, Ifeoma Osakwe and youngest sibling, Valentina Osakwe, alleging that she was into trafficking of children.
She claimed that her mother and youngest sibling were out to dispossess her of her property adding that both of them had earlier allegedly conspired to snatch her earlier adopted child which they changed the name in the process of adoption.
According to her, she discovered the alleged fraudulent act in the adoption process when she returned back to Nigeria in October 2022, adding that the child was adopted in her youngest sibling’s name despite her footing the cost.
The petition reads:
“I never for one day did anything to forcefully remove the said adopted child from my mother’s custody or did anything in the nature of trafficking the said child. My mother and my youngest sibling are still holding my said adopted child hostage.
“The latest in the effort of my mother and my sibling to subjugate me is their use of Mr. Nduka Nwanwene, the Zonal Commander of Benin Zone of NAPTIP whom they have financially compromised to weave a false report of trafficking in children 8 and 9 years old my neck and that of my husband via a false petition written to your zonal command by my youngest sibling and my mother alleging child trafficking.
“Pursuant to the said false petition, the Commander for no reason via his subordinates stormed my residence in Asaba on the 22nd day of September, 2023, and picked up the occupants of my flat in my building including my two adopted children namely Master William Divine Ikechukwu Taylor, 4 years old and Miss Sherlyn Nwamaka Taylor, 5 months old, whom he has kept in custody at your Benin detention facility since 22nd September, 2023 despite repeated applications that the children be released forthwith to their caregiver.
“Sadly, my son, Master Walliams Divine, a pupil of Patricia Nursery and Primary School, Asaba, has been prevented from going to school since the 22nd day of September, 2023.
“It is important to observe that despite an application to enforce the fundamental rights of the detained minors, Mr. Nwanwene in fulfillment of the financial inducement from my mother and youngest sibling, has continued to maintain strangle hold on the said minors who have so psychologically be bruised by their unlawful detention in your detention facility in Benin City“.
Mrs. Taylor contended that the action of Mr. Nwanwene brought NAPTIP public ridicule, adding that he was being used to settle family squabbles for no justifiable reason other than to tarnish her and take over her buildings in Asaba.
“I find it difficult to believe that he could lend himself for use by my mother and my youngest sibling just for financial gains by him
“I therefore plead with you to immediately conduct and enquiry into the unlawful acts of Nwanwene aforesaid with a view to prosecuting him for abuse of office and corrupt practices.
“We will gladly discontinue our suit against NAPTIP in particular if my adopted children are released forthwith and appropriate steps are taken against Mr. Nwanwene whom I intend to continue to litigate against alongside his cohorts for his unlawful activities and forgot his acts of corruption”, the petition further stated.
In line with journalism practice requiring hearing from both sides, attempts were made to get the NAPTIP side of the story to no avail as at the time of going to the press.