In a significant legal development, an Upper Area Court in Kado, Abuja, has issued a restraining order against the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and other police personnel, halting any further investigation into a paternity dispute involving former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki, and the family of his former acquaintance, Ms. Uwani Arabi. This order comes as Turaki has filed a suit regarding the matter, which is currently pending before the court.
The ruling, delivered by Judge Mr. Shehu Ahmadu, specifically restrains the IGP and several other police officials from accepting complaints from Musa Baffa, Uwani Arabi, and their daughter, Hadiza Baffa, in relation to Turaki. The court emphasized that the matter is already before a competent court of law, thus requiring that no further investigations take place until the case is resolved.
The case, marked as M/26/2024, revolves around allegations made by Turaki, who claims he has been falsely accused by Musa Baffa, his daughter Hadiza, and her mother, Uwani Arabi, of fathering a child with Hadiza. Turaki has vehemently denied these allegations, asserting that Hadiza was involved with another individual, whom he claims is the true father of the child.
In his substantive suit, designated CV/35/2024, Turaki recounts his relationship with the Baffa family, detailing how he initially offered support to Hadiza during her education. He alleges that after providing financial assistance and accommodation for Hadiza when she relocated to Abuja, he was surprised to discover that she and her mother had conspired to change Hadiza’s surname to Turaki without his consent.
Turaki describes a complex history with the family, stating that he had offered guidance to Uwani when she sought advice on relocating Hadiza due to security concerns in Maiduguri. He claims to have supported Hadiza’s education financially, contributing significantly to her registration fees at Baze University.
However, the Baffa family has responded with a joint statement denying Turaki’s claims. They argue that it was Turaki who initially reached out to them, offering to help Hadiza with her education and to serve as her guardian. They assert that Turaki’s portrayal of events is misleading, insisting that he had committed to supporting Hadiza and even suggested the university she attended.
In a dramatic turn, Hadiza has alleged that Turaki exploited his position as her guardian, claiming he coerced her into a sexual relationship under the guise of his benevolence. She contends that he threatened her to keep their relationship secret and later attempted to persuade her to terminate her pregnancy when she discovered she was expecting.
Hadiza gave birth to a baby girl on April 3, 2023, and claims that Turaki acknowledged paternity upon seeing the child, citing their resemblance. She alleges that he financially supported her during her pregnancy and delivery.
As the case unfolds, the Upper Area Court has set the next hearing for September 24. Meanwhile, Turaki has also filed a similar case in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory and has sought an ex-parte motion to prevent the Baffa family from making public comments about the dispute while the legal proceedings are ongoing.
