Nigerian Government Dragged To ECOWAS Court Over Abduction Of Several Children In Delta Community
Published on September 20, 2025
The Nigerian Government has been taken before the Community Court of Justice of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over the alleged abduction and trafficking of several children from Agbarho Town, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The lawsuit, filed by child rights activist Comrade Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho through his lawyer, Andrew N. Elekeokwuri of Andrew Ewoh & Co., was officially registered on September 19, 2025, as Suit No. ECW/CCJ/APP/46/25. The ECOWAS Court has given the Nigerian Government, represented by the Attorney General of the Federation, 30 days to respond to the claims.
According to the applicant, the abductions are linked to the operations of illegal orphanages, police-run Juvenile Welfare Centres (JWCs), and the controversial 2024 amendment to the Delta State Child Rights Law. He argues that these institutions have created a pipeline for trafficking children under the guise of adoption and welfare services.
At the centre of the complaint is Section 136(1a) of the Delta State Child Rights (Amendment) Law, 2024, which permits payments or rewards for adoption processes once approved by a court and the state Ministry of Women Affairs. Activists claim this legal loophole has empowered traffickers and corrupt officials.
The suit also challenges the legality of the JWCs, insisting that they should be replaced with the federally mandated Children Police Unit. Aghogho maintains that JWCs have become hubs of exploitation, and evidence attached to the suit includes a list of suspected trafficked children allegedly connected to Delta Police Command.
The legal action follows recent protests by women in Agbarho, who accused local authorities of ignoring repeated child disappearances. The town’s monarch had previously demanded action, but little progress was made, prompting this international legal move.
The activist is urging the ECOWAS Court to declare the Nigerian Government’s inaction a violation of children’s rights under international treaties and the Nigerian Constitution. He is also demanding the abolition of illegal orphanages and JWCs, the recovery of missing children, the amendment of offending laws, and compensation of $50,000 per trafficked child.
If the Attorney General fails to respond within the stipulated 30 days, the ECOWAS Court may proceed with judgment, a move that could have serious legal and diplomatic implications for Nigeria.