Posted by By Akin Kuponiyi on
A non-governmental organisation, Child Rights Advancement and Protection Initiatives (CRAPI), has commenced legal action against the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP), for allegedly detaining a baby, Ewonosa, born in prison by her mother, Helen Oni.
A non-governmental organisation, Child Rights Advancement and Protection Initiatives (CRAPI), has commenced legal action against the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons(NAPTIP), for allegedly detaining a baby, Ewonosa, born in prison by her mother, Helen Oni.
In a statement, CRAPI alleged that Helen Oni, who resides in Benin, Edo state, was arrested for human trafficking while undergoing labour at a traditional midwifery, on 30 March, 2007. She gave birth to Baby Ewonosa five days after her arrest and, since then, she has been in custody.
Efforts by relations to secure her bail was not only frustrated by the police but they were also not allowed access to her until the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) agreed that mother and baby should be released on the following conditions: that a level 13 officer in public service with landed property must be produced as surety and the payment of N100,000 for medical expenses.
The required surety was produced but with only N40,000. The NAPTIP officials insisted on full payment of the N100,000. Helen oni was later charged to court and granted bail, but NAPTIP still refused to release her on the ground that the landed property presented by her surety was located at Ota, and not in Lagos state.
The NGO stated that Helen and her child were exposed to mental and emotional torture in prison custody and urged the court to declare that their arrest and detention by NAPTIP was illegal and unconstitutional.