A Nigerian man, Emmanuel Chukwumezirim Woko, has filed an official complaint with the US Embassy in Abuja accusing his ex-wife, Grace Azuowoh Woko, of illegally trafficking their five children to the US.
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In the complaint, Woko alleges that his former spouse contravened a court order granting him full custody of the kids. He claims Grace conspired with her family members to traffic the minors aged 5 to 15 out of Nigeria without his consent.
In a formal complaint dated August 21, 2023 submitted through his legal representatives, Grant & Grant & Associates Solicitors & Advocates, Woko provided detailed evidence of his ex-wife’s alleged involvement in abducting and trafficking their children, contravening legal rulings.
The complaint by Woko’s lawyers laid out the troubling circumstances that prompted filing the petition to the US Embassy.
The document revealed that despite the court’s clear order granting Woko absolute custody of their five children: Joshua Chimdiebube Woko (15 years, male), David Owoh Woko (14 years, male), Mercy Chiamaka Woko (11 years, female), Deborah Chioma Woko (9 years, female), and Olivia Munachimso Woko (7 years, female), Grace allegedly remained relentless in her attempts to abduct the minors and traffick them to the United States.
The complaint letter, addressed to the US Consulate and made available to TheNigeriaLawyer contained verbatim excerpts from court orders, referred to as ANNEXURES A, B, and C, highlighting the legality of Woko’s custody of the children.
Additionally, ANNEXURES D and E were cited, referencing petitions filed with Nigerian authorities, including the Nigerian Immigration Services and the Nigerian Police, regarding the abduction and trafficking incidents.
The solicitors further alleged that Grace Woko had been financially supporting these criminal activities from the United States.
Using annexures F, G, and H, the complaint detailed instances of monetary transactions allegedly made by Mrs. Woko to her siblings and agents in Nigeria and Benin Republic, financing the abduction and trafficking operations.
The document also cited ANNEXURES I and J, which allegedly contained evidence of Grace’s monetary transfers within the United States and to her agents in Cameroun.
Grant & Grant & Associates underscored the urgency of scrutinizing Grace Woko’s US bank accounts, believing that tracing the funds would shed light on the extent of her involvement in the illegal trafficking and trans-border abduction of the children.
The complaint also highlighted the hijack of law enforcement agencies in Nigeria by Grace through her agents for the harassment and continued intimidation of Emmanuel Woko while stressing that Mrs.Woko is an illegal resident in the United States.
“Our client further informed us that in spite of ANNEXURE C, Grace Azuowoh Woko remained unrelenting in sponsoring from the United States the abduction of our client’s five (5) children with the view of ILLEGALLY TRAFFICKING the five (5) minors to the United States. Accompanying this Complaint are Petitions to the Nigerian Immigration Services, the Nigerian Police, e.t.c. marked as ANNEXURES D and E.
Our client further informed us and we verily believed him that his ex wife, now purportedly practicing Nursing in the United States of America regularly wired funds to her siblings through her Agents and most particularly her elder sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Shabba Udensi and her four (4) other siblings (Owoh Azuowoh, Eleanya Enoch Azuowoh, Udeh Azuowoh, Utah Azuowoh) that are deployed to harass our client using Law Enforcement Agencies in Nigeria with illicit funds remitted by the illegally resident Grace Azuowoh Woko (copy of visitor’s visa given to her in 2016 is hereby annexed as ANNEXURE F), our client’s 5 children were abducted on 24th of August, 2022 and trafficked to Benin Republic.”
The complaint urged authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly, treating it not just as a case of child trafficking but also as potential instances of money laundering and trans-border abduction, thereby calling for a comprehensive and immediate response.
Trouble started when the wife traveled to the United States of America for a visit and decided not to return, leaving her husband and some of their other children behind.
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