A Lagos High Court has directed that two children involved in a long-running custody dispute be returned to their father, Mr. C.C. Okafor, pending the final resolution of the legal battle between him and his estranged wife, Anita Obianwu Okafor.
The order was issued on Monday by Justice A.G. Balogun after considering an application brought by the father. In his application, Mr. Okafor claimed that the children had been removed from his care and withheld from him for several months.
Counsel to the applicant, Ayo Adekunle, told the court that Mr. Okafor had been the children’s primary caregiver since their mother allegedly left the family several years ago.
According to the lawyer, the father maintained that he had single-handedly catered to the children’s upbringing, including their welfare, education, and daily needs, following their mother’s departure.
A correspondent who monitored the court proceedings gathered that the father alleged the children were taken from his custody after they were picked up from their school without his knowledge.
Counsel for the applicant, Ayo Adekunle, further told the court that the matter was subsequently reported to the Family Affairs Unit, where the children were allegedly transferred to an orphanage without the father’s consent or prior knowledge.
He also stated that the children were removed while a custody case involving both parties was still pending before the Owerri Customary Court.
Adekunle told the court that the Owerri Customary Court had previously directed that the children be returned to their father pending the outcome of the custody proceedings, but he alleged that the order had not been complied with.
Emphasising the urgency of the application, the lawyer said the father had been unable to see his children for an extended period.
He also raised concerns about the children’s wellbeing, alleging that they had been moved between different locations and were no longer receiving formal education.
Adekunle argued that the children’s welfare would be at risk if the situation continued, maintaining that their prolonged separation from their father was negatively affecting their wellbeing and education.
Following submissions from the applicant, Justice A.G. Balogun ordered that the custody matter be transferred from the Owerri Customary Court to the appropriate Magistrate Court for further proceedings.
The judge also directed that the children be released to their father pending the final determination of the custody case.
The decision marks the latest development in the ongoing legal dispute between Mr. C.C. Okafor and Anita Obianwu Okafor over the custody of their children.
