Paternity case: Lady asks court to refuse Ex-Minister Turaki’s application to stop DNA result

The woman involved in the paternity dispute with former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs Kabiru Turaki (SAN) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to refuse his application to stop the tendering of the DNA test results. Ms Hadiza Musa Baffa had been enmeshed in a dispute over the paternity of her baby, […]

The woman involved in the paternity dispute with former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs Kabiru Turaki (SAN) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to refuse his application to stop the tendering of the DNA test results.

Ms Hadiza Musa Baffa had been enmeshed in a dispute over the paternity of her baby, which led to criminal charges of false marriage, adultery, and other related offences against Turaki after alleged cohabiting between December 2014 and August 2016.

Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the matter on February 18 to enable the respondents, the Nigerian Police Force, the Inspector General of Police, and the DCP Rita Oki Oyintare, to file their motion to show cause why the ex-ministers’ application should not be granted.

However, counsel to Baffa, Usman Chamo, confirmed that they had filed an affidavit to show cause and a counter affidavit to the originating motion.

• PHOTOS: Tinubu hosts Nigerian-born NFL champion in Aso rock
• ‘Sexual harassment’: I have concrete evidence against Akpabio –Natasha

In the affidavit, Hadiza Baffa contends that granting Turaki’s application would prejudice her and cause irreparable damage to her and her child.

She alleged that the ex-minister “maliciously filed the suit when it came to his knowledge that the DNA Test forms part of the evidence at the Magistrate Court and knowing the result shows that 99.9% of the applicant is the biological father of the baby.”

She said the purported restraining order Turaki mentioned in his originating summons was obtained ex parte by misrepresentation to restrain the police from accepting any complaint, and the presiding Upper Area Court judge vacated it.

According to her, contrary to the applicant’s allegation, the order was made after I had made my complaint, and the Nigerian Police had already obtained my statement.

She averred that, “The applicant knows full well that it is only the DNA Test that will exonerate him or me if at all what I am saying about the pregnancy is not that of the applicant and the paternity issue.

“That by my knowledge, all that transpired in the Police Headquarters was done with all sense of humility against the parties involved.”

Turaki had, in the motion dated February 11, 2025, sought an order of interim injunction restraining the police from presenting, using, or relying on the purported DNA paternity test result procured from DNA Labs Limited or any other DNA laboratory on November 5, 2024, or any other date thereafter.

The ex-minister claimed that DCP Oyintare had invited and detained him for six hours at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) at Garki Area 10, Abuja to compel him to give a swab sample for the DNA test, adding that despite his protests, his “swab sample was collected by a purported scientist at the behest of the 3rd respondent” before he was allowed to go home at about 10 pm on that day.