Date Published: 10/02/11

Group urges FG's intervention in alleged abduction of children of UK based Nigeria Couple

An Abuja based Non Governmental Organisation, the Society for Rule of Law in Nigeria (SRLN) has urged the federal government to intervene in the alleged unlawful abduction of six children, including an infant of a United Kingdom (UK) based Nigerian couple, Chiwar and Gloria Musa, saying; “the government of Nigeria cannot afford to fold its arms while citizens of the country residing in other countries are being subjected to inhuman treatments.”

The group said it had been inundated with reports from UK media, especially the Sunday Telegraph, social media, families and friends of the victims over the abduction of their six children by the Haringey Police, London since June, last year.

SRLN said in a statement issued by its Coordinator, Comrade Chima Ubeku that a petition had already been sent to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), detailing how eight Police from Haringey, London, on April 8, 2010 allegedly abducted five children belonging to Mr. and Pastor Chiwar Musa and also on June 12, 2010 at Nortwishpark Hospital, took away their new born baby.

Ubeku said it was particularly disturbing that in spite of the fact that the attention of the Nigerian High Commission, UK was also brought to this matter via a letter addressed to a senior official of the Commission, Mr. M.M.B. Aliyu, by a British columnist with the Sunday Telegraph, Christopher Booker dated 17th August 2011, nothing concrete has been done.

SRLN noted that; “The Sunday Telegraph columnist said in the petition that; ‘Since last June, as a columnist with the Sunday Telegraph, I have been following, very closely, the case of Chiwar and Gloria Musa, Nigerian citizens whose six children were last year taken from them by social workers of Haringey council,’ but the commission has not done anything.

“We were informed that the victims, Chiwar and Gloria Musa, were reported to the London Borough of Haringey by one Alexandra Constantinou, on the ground that the mother is a sex worker, and that the children had different fathers.

“However, Chiwar who claimed to be the biological father of the six children countered that the children namely; Abraham, Blessing, Sarah, Lerato, Favour and Queen are his children.

“We are also aware that the matter was reported to the Nigerian High Commission, UK via a petition, dated August 13, 2011.

“The couple’s petition, read in part: ‘With a sorrowful heart, I wish to bring to your notice the bizarre, unthinkable, and worrisome act perpetrated by the men of the Haringey Police and Sharon Fair Haringey social service who invaded Norwich Park Hospital, unleashed mayhem and abducted a new born baby from her unsuspecting mother. This atrocity was meted out against me and my new born baby, Queen Elizabeth, at Norwich Park Hospital, at about 3a.m on June 12, 2010.’

 “We are therefore concerned about the plight of this family and those of other Nigerians that are being victimised unjustly in foreign countries and urge the federal government to give more attention to the protection of Nigerians wherever they are.”