Nigeria’s former minister in paternity scandal

A former Nigeria’s Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki is now enmeshed in a paternity scandal following a motion number: M/26/2024, where he sued Musa Baffa (father), Hadiza Baffa (daughter), Uwani Arabi (mother) and Nigeria Police Force as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.

Penpushing reports that Turaki in the substantive suit marked: CV/35/2024 filed before the court denied being responsible for Hadiza’s pregnancy which resulted in a baby girl, alleging that she (Hadiza) had a boyfriend who he said was responsible for the pregnancy.

The former minister argued that sometimes in 2016, Uwani, who was a person known to him in Kano before her marriage to Musa, called him on phone and sought his advice on her plans to relocate her daughter, Hadiza, who was then schooling, according to her, at University of Maiduguri, because of the activities of Boko Haram.

Penpushing further reports that Turaki in the suit filed and sue Hadiza and Uwani as 1st to 3rd defendants, claimed that he advised Uwani to secure admission for her daughter at Bayero University, Kano; Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, or University of Ilorin.

The embattled former minister explained that after some weeks of the previous discussion, Uwani called and told him that she was coming to Abuja together with Hadiza and begged him to arrange an accommodation for them.

The ex-minister said he obliged by securing an accommodation at Ideal Guest House, Garki which Is a furnished apartment that are let out for short or long stay, adding that Uwani secured admission for Hadiza at Baze University in Abuja and he supported her with N1 million out of the N3 million for registration fees.

Penpushing also reports that Turaki who averred that he took responsibility of Hadiza’s upkeep, alleged that Uwani pleaded with him to serve as guardian for her daughter, Hadiza, lamenting that he was surprised to discover that Hadiza connived with her mother to change her surname to Turaki without his knowledge and consent.

The former Minister alleged that when Hadiza’s criminal acts became so intense, he drove her away and directed his staff not to allow her close to his office anymore, stressing that after walking out on the daughter and the mother for a month or thereabout, Uwani called him on phone and requested to see him.

Penpushing reports that Turaki said during the meeting, Uwani told him that her daughter was pregnant and she said he was responsible, and he outrightly denied the allegation describing it as a blackmail, stressing that Musa, Hadiza’s father, who he said had abandoned the daughter for 28 years, called him around May regarding the issue.

The parents in a statement of defence jointly filed by them and daughter, denied Turaki’s allegations, stating that it was Turaki who reached out to the third defendant (Uwani) and offered to help her daughter by enrolling her into Baze University in Abuja, bear the cost of her education and accommodation; and serve as her guardian.

Penpushing further reports that the parents declared that Turaki) who is the plaintiff committed to doing everything for the 2nd defendant because according to him, he considers her as his daughter, alleging that it was the former minister who suggested the university contrary to his claim.

The parents said Hadiza’s registration fees when she gained admission in 2014 was N950, 000 and that the former minister gave her $2000 dollars for the fees, and that Turaki offered to serve as Hadiza’s guardian.

Penpushing also reports that the mother (Uwani), who said she never requested or prompted for such decision, said as at that time she did not suspect that Turaki had sinister motives towards her daughter, adding that she never suspected that Turaki’s benevolence towards her was to take advantage of her.

The mother argued that contrary to Turaki’s claim that she begged him to give her daughter a car, the woman said she never had any of such discussion with the former minister, rather it was Turaki who called her to pick up the Toyota Almera from his office at T.Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro and she was surprise to see that the car particulars carried her name as Hadiza Turaki.

Penpushing reports that the girl on her part alleged that it was Turaki who had changed her name to “Hadiza Turaki” by putting same on the vehicle papers he bought for her and persuaded her to use the same name on her Guarantee Trust Bank account number through which he sent monies to her severally through his account officer.

The girl alleged that she had challenges with her education, faced physical and emotional trauma when the former minister exploited her under the guise of being her guardian, alleging that he frequently visited her in the apartments and several times lured her into having illicit sexual relationship with him.

Penpushing further reports that she added that the former minister severally threatened her not to let her parents know that he was taking advantage of her thus, and that she was scared and traumatised, adding that the trauma affected her and her studies.

The girl stated that when Turaki  realised that she was passing through psychological and physical trauma, he kept promising to marry her and began to exchange romantic phone and WhatsApp conversations with her.

Penpushing also reports that the lady alleged that when she discovered that she was pregnant for Turaki, she informed him and he took several steps, including phone calls made to her trying to compel and pushing her to abort the pregnancy.

The lady said she decided to keep the pregnancy against all odds when she was advised against terminating it and the risk involved, alleging that Turaki became wild against her when she refused to listen to him, and thereafter she delivered the baby girl on April 3, 2023.

Penpushing reports that she said when Turaki later saw the baby, he acknowledged that she was his daughter as a result of the striking resemblance with him, emphasizing that the former minister even paid monies for the antenatal, delivery and post-natal services of the baby girl at Nizamiyye Hospital.

The Upper Area Court sitting in Kado, Abuja, has, however, restrained the police from investigating a paternity dispute against the former Minister pending the hearing and determination of the case.

Penpushing further reports that the presiding judge, Justice Shehu Ahmadu, in a ruling, ordered the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police and his officers not to accept any complaint from Musa Baffa, Uwani Arabi and their daughter, Hadiza Baffa, in relation to Turaki as the matter is already before the court.

The judge gave the order following an ex-parte motion moved by Turaki’s counsel on September 2, 2024 and a certified true copy of the order made available to journlists on Friday in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

“Respondents are hereby restrained, especially 4th to 10th respondents from accepting any complaint from the 1st to 3rd respondents (parents and daughter) especially the 2nd respondent (Hadiza) or carrying any investigation relating to the applicant as the matter is already before a competent court of law, the Upper Area Court Kado FCT, in CV/35/2024 until the determination of the motion on notice before this court.

Penpushing also reports that the ruling declared that this order Is given under the hand and seal of the honourable judge, while the case was adjourned until September 24, 2024 for continuation of hearing.

Meanwhile, others listed in the application include the Inspector General of Police, Deputy Inspector General of Police Sylvester Alabi (DIG Force CID), Assistant Inspector General Muhammad Dan Kwara (Force CID), Commissioner of Police Musbahu Ajani (CP Admin, Force CID), Chiief Superintendent of Police Mohammed Gashua and Superintendent of Police Ibrahim Shugaba as 5th to 10th respondents.

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