Former minister begs court to reject DNA evidence in paternity suit, gives reason

• The Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the prayer of the former minister of special duties and inter-governmental affairs Kabiru Turaki
• Turaki is praying the court to stop the police from presenting a DNA result in a paternity dispute with Hadiza Baffa
• But Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court said Turaki's prayer could not be answered without hearing from the respondent

FCT, Abuja - The Federal High Court in Abuja has rejected the plea of Kabiru Turaki, the former minister of special duties and inter-governmental affairs. The former cabinet member was asking the court to stop the police from presenting a DNA test result in a paternity dispute with Hadiza Baffa.

The presiding judge, Inyang Ekwo, said the former minister's prayer could not be granted without hearing from the respondents. The judge made the verdict while ruling on the ex parte motion filed by Abdulaziz Ibrahim, counsel to Turaki.

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Justice Ekwo's statement reads in part:

“Upon studying the motion ex-parte and the averments in the affidavit in support, including the affidavit of urgency, I am of the opinion that the prayers cannot be granted without hearing from the respondents.”

Court ordered former minister Turaki

Following the comment, Justice Ekwo then ordered Turaki to inform all the respondents in the application within two days. He then directed that the respondents should show cause on the next adjournment date and explained why the prayer of the former minister should not be granted. The court then adjourned the matter to February 24

The Cable reported that the former minister filed an ex parte order in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/244/2025. The defendants are the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Ita Oyintare (DCP for Gender), and his accuser, Hadiza Musa Baffa, the fourth respondent.

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According to Premium Times, the motion, dated February 11, was filed on February 13. It prayed to the court for an interim injunction to restrain the respondents from presenting or relying on a DNA test result obtained from DNA Labs Limited or any other laboratory on November 5, 2024,, or thereafter.

Why Turaki want Court to stop DNA evidence

Turaki argued that he had previously initiated legal action against Baffa in suit number CV/35/2024 on June 24, 2024, and prayed to the court to declare that she was not his wife and that the child she had did not belong to him.

The former minister claimed that Hadiza had filed several petitions with the police concerning the matter. He maintained that the petitions were consolidated on his request in a letter on September 19, 2024, and the deputy inspector-general of police (DIG) for intelligence was assigned the investigation.

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Ex-Minister in court over paternity dispute

Legit.ng earlier reported that former President Goodluck Jonathan's ex-minister of special duties and inter-governmental affairs, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), has been arraigned before a magistrate court in Abuja.

Turaki, a Kebbi state politician and senior advocate of Nigeria, is facing trial on alleged adultery, and criminal intimidation of victims among others.

According to the prosecution, the allegations against Turaki were contrary to contrary to sections 383, 387 and 389 of the Penal Code.

Source: Legit.ng