Nigerian Activist Drags Federal Government to ECOWAS Court Over Whistleblower Persecution, Alleged Child Trafficking Complicity

A prominent Nigerian child rights advocate and whistleblower, Ighorhiohwunu Aghogho, has filed a landmark suit against the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice. The suit, numbered ECW/CCJ/APP/28/25 and dated Wednesday, June 11, 2025, alleges state-sponsored child trafficking and systemic persecution of whistleblowers, drawing widespread attention today, Thursday, June 12.

Filed on behalf of Aghogho by his lawyer, Andrew Elekeokwuri, the suit names the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the sole defendant. At the core of the case is the claim of state complicity in systemic child trafficking operations and the unconstitutional targeting of individuals who expose such illicit activities.

Aghogho, renowned for his efforts in exposing child exploitation rings within Delta State, asserts that his arrest on July 21, 2022, and subsequent prosecution under the now-repealed Section 24 of the Cybercrime Act, 2015, were illegal and retaliatory. This prosecution followed his social media disclosures concerning alleged irregularities in state adoption processes. He claims he was arbitrarily detained for over 600 days at the Warri and Ogwashi-Uku Correctional Centres.

During his prolonged detention, Aghogho claims he petitioned the Attorney-General of the Federation to investigate the alleged misconduct by Delta State prosecutors. Despite acknowledging the petition, no protective or corrective measures were reportedly taken, and his prosecution persisted, allegedly relying on an outdated 2017 prosecutorial fiat. Aghogho argues that his arrest and subsequent legal troubles were explicitly designed to silence his advocacy and shield those implicated in the alleged child trafficking network.

Beyond his personal ordeal, the plaintiff also challenges the legality of the Delta State Child Rights (Amendment) Law, 2024, which was signed into law on April 10, 2025. He contends that this law seeks to retroactively legitimize decades of illegal adoptions, thereby contravening existing federal laws and international treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory, such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC).

The suit further details extensive allegations of institutional failures, asserting that child trafficking operations were facilitated by the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs from 1991 to 2022. Aghogho claims that multiple petitions he sent to various federal authorities—including the National Assembly, the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the National Population Commission—failed to result in any investigations or actions.

Aghogho is seeking extensive relief from the ECOWAS Court, including:

• A declaration that his arrest and prosecution under the repealed Cybercrime Act were unlawful and a breach of his rights to freedom of expression under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
• An order for the Federal Government to initiate an impartial, multi-agency investigation into the disappearance and trafficking of children in Delta State between 1991 and 2022, with a mandate to publish findings within a defined timeframe.
• A directive to the Delta State Commissioner of Police to release official records relating to the transfer of children to the Ministry of Women Affairs during the stated period.
• An order for various agencies, including the EFCC and National Population Commission, to release records related to adoption and financial audits.
• A request for $100 million in damages for unlawful detention and the violation of his rights.
• A call for the implementation of robust safeguards to protect whistleblowers and child rights advocates in Nigeria.

According to a notice issued by the ECOWAS Court, the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been directed to file a defense within 30 days of service, with a warning that failure to comply may result in a default judgment. The suit, already served on the Attorney-General of the Federation, now awaits further proceedings at the ECOWAS Court’s Abuja registry, setting the stage for a potentially landmark human rights case.