Tag: Kabiru Turaki

Advocacy group, Talk Initiative, has counted claims by former Minister of Special Duties, Kabiru Turaki that the allegations made against him by Hadiza Baffa are “spurious, politically motivated, and orchestrated by adversaries.”

Executive Assistant, Sefinatu Ahmed, told the media that the ordeal narrated by Baffa was “heartbreaking” and deserved an impartial investigation by security agencies.

On August 17, Hadiza alleged on video that Turaki, a lawyer and former minister, subjected her and her child to threats and intimidation.

“He used his power and status to threaten my life and frustrate us,” she said, and denied knowledge of a letter circulated in her name.

Hadiza alleged Turaki is the father of her child. She recalled a September, 2014, incident in her days at Base University, Abuja. She said the minister’s driver picked her up and took her to a house in Asokoro.

But Turaki said the allegations are baseless and political. He said he had been silent but that “silence is no longer golden.”

The former minister maintained that the allegations were sponsored to tarnish his reputation.

Talk Initiative dismissed Turaki’s rebuttal, noting its campaign was not political but solely about protecting a mother and her child.

“We have made contact with Hadiza Baffa and we stand with her. Her ordeal with Turaki is heartbreaking, and we cannot be silent,” he said.

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The group demanded security agencies and the judiciary conduct a “transparent, and impartial probe” into the case.

“We are committed to defending human dignity and promoting equality,” he said.

“This is not political. It is about the safety of a mother and welfare of her child.

It urged civil society, and rights advocates to rally behind Hadiza and ensure she does not face the battle alone.

“We call on civil society groups, and advocates of justice to rally behind Hadiza. ‘‘

She must not face this battle alone.

“We equally demand that security agencies and the Nigerian justice system conduct a thorough, transparent, and impartial investigation. Justice must not only be done—it must be seen to be done.

“Talk Initiative remains committed to protecting human dignity, promoting equality, and amplifying the voices of the vulnerable. We will stand by Hadiza until justice prevails.

“#JusticeForHadiza is not just a campaign—it is a call to conscience,” the statement added.

A Federal High Court in Abuja has declined to issue an ex-parte order sought by a former Special Duties Minister, Kabiru Turaki to restrain the police from tendering a DNA test result before any court in relation to the paternity dispute between him and a lady, Hadiza Baffa.

Justice Inyang Ekwo rejected the request in a ruling on Tuesday on a motion ex-parte for interim injunction filed by Turaki.

Turaki had filed the motion ex-parte along with a substantive suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/244/2025 in which he is, among others, querying the process leading to DNA result and alleging that the police violated his fundamental human right in the manner samples were obtained from him.

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Listed as respondents in the suit are the Nigeria Police Force (NPF);  the Inspector General of Police (IGP); the Deputy Commissioner of Police for Gender, Rita Oki Oyintare and Hadiza Baffa.

At the mention of the case earlier on Tuesday, Turaki’s lawyer, Abdulaziz Ibrahim (SAN) told the court that his client’s motion ex-parte was seeking an interim injunction against the respondents from presenting the DNA test result before any court. 

Seeking clarification, Justice Ekwo asked Ibrahim: “What you are asking me to do is to stop them from making use of the result against the applicant? 

“Can I stop anybody from going to court? Or can I stop them from tendering it in court?”

Responding, Ibrahim said the judge could issue the order sought  “because of the way and manner the test was obtained in violation of the applicant’s fundamental right.”

Ibrahim proceeded to move the motion, which sole prayer was “an order of interim injunction restraining the respondents either by themselves, their servants, agents, privies or through other persons, whomsoever and howsoever described from presenting, using, or relying on the purported DNA paternity test result procured from the DNA Labs Limited or any other DNA laboratory on the 5th day of November, 2024, or any other date thereafter, in any civil or criminal proceedings or for any purpose whatsoever against the applicant pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion.”

Ruling, Ekwo said he could not grant the prayer sought by Turaki without first, hearing from the respondents.

The judge added: “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.”

He then ordered Turaki to put all the respondents in the application on notice within two days of the order and equally ordered the respondents to show cause on the next adjourned date why the prayer sought in the motion should not be granted.

The judge, who ordered Turaki to serve the respondents with all the documents so far filed in the suit within two days of the order, adjourned the matter until February 24 for the respondents to show cause.

Turaki stated, in an affidavit filed along with the motion, that he had filed a suit marked: No CV/35/2024 on June 24, 2024 before a HIgh Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) against  Hadiza 

He said in the suit, he sought declaratory reliefs, including but not limited to a perpetual injunction restraining her from further claiming that she was married to him and had a child for him.

Turaki stated that despite the pendency of his suit, the police invited him based on series of petitions written against him by Hadiza.

He said when he honoured police’s invitation on November 5, 2024, “the 3rd respondent insisted that she must take a swab from the applicant and conduct a DNA. 

“The applicant (Turaki) protested that he was not going to submit any of his swab sample for DNA by force.

“Thereupon, the 3rd respondent said he was under arrest and can therefore not leave their premises.

“Consequently, the applicant was detained in the respondent’s cell at the Force Criminal Investigation Department Area 10, Garki, Abuja for about 6 hours from 12 noon till 6pm. 

“Thereafter, at about 9pm, the applicant’s swab sample was collected by a purported scientist at the behest of the 3rd respondent, after which only, he was allowed go home at about 10pm on the 5th November, 2024. 

“A criminal charge has been filed against him before the Federal Capital Territory, Magistrate Court, Abuja. 

“The respondents intend to rely on the purported DNA test paternity result procured in violation of my fundamental human rights in the said criminal charge.

 “Unless this honourable court promptly intervenes, the respondents will rely on the said purported DNA test paternity result, the validity or otherwise being the subject matter of the instant suit.

“Unless the application ex-parte is heard expeditiously, the DNA test paternity result procured by the respondents would be relied upon and used against the applicant who will suffer irreversible injury even if the instant suit is determined in his favour.

“Unless this honourable court make interim orders before the determination of the originating motion, the applicant will suffer exceptional hardships,” Turaki said. 

• Denies allegations, pleads not guilty

Former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki (SAN) has been arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court at Zone Two in Abuja on allegations bordering on false marriage and adultery, among others.

Turaki, however, pleaded not guilty when the First Information Report (FIR) was read to him in the dock on Thursday before the presiding Magistrate of Court Nine, Abubakar Jega.

The ex-minister stated that the alleged offences were not true.

As indicated in the FIR, the ex-minister is accused of “deceitfully inducing belief of lawful marriage, adultery by a man and criminal intimidation, contrary to sections 383, 387 and 389 of the Penal Code.”

The prosecution stated that the investigation of the case was informed by a petition dated 9th August, 2024, received by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force FCID, Abuja.

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It further stated that the investigation revealed that “you Barrister Kabiru Taminu Turaki (SAN), between December 2014 and August 2016, deceitfully co-habited Ms. Hadiza Musa Bafta at a hotel called Han’s Place.

“You also co-habited her at Ideal Home Holiday, Asokoro between August 2016 and November 2021.

“You hired a place for her at No. 12, Clement Akpagbo Close, Gauzape from November 2021 and made her believe you were married to her and continuously had sexual intercourse with her, which resulted to a baby girl.

“You abandoned Hadiza Musa Baffa with her only child and denied the paternity. You threatened to use your influence and position to terminate the lives of mother and child.

“You are thereby suspected to have committed the above offences.”

Shortly after Turaki:s arraignment, the prosecuting lawyer, Chijioke Okorie, urged the court to set a date for the commencement of trial.

Turaki’s lawyer, A. I. Mohammed, who did not object to the prosecution’s request for a date for trial, applied for bail for the defendant on the grounds that he would be available whenever he is required to attend court.

Magistrate Jega granted bail to Turaki at N1 million with two sureties in like sum.

He said the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and must provide evidence of the residences.

The magistrate then adjourned till March 11 for the commencement of trial.

A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Nyanya has rejected the request by former Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki to stop a former acquaintance, Uwani Arabi and two others from further making publications about a paternity dispute between them.

Justice Aliyu Shafa, in a ruling on Tuesday, refused the motion filed by Turaki to that effect, on the grounds that he is seeking a similar prayer in the main suit.

Justice Shafa held among others, that granting the prayer sought in Turaki’s motion would amount to deciding the substantive case at this preliminary stage.

The judge then granted an order for accelerated hearing in the substantive and adjourned till November 13 for definite hearing.

Turaki, in the main suit marked: CV/189/2024 accused Arabi, her ex-husband, Musa Baffa and her daughter, Hadiza of defaming him by raising allegations of sexual impropriety against him to the extent of claiming he fathered a child through Hadiza.

In a supporting affidavit, Turaki stated that the interim restraining order was necessary to stop the defendants from further spreading false information against him during the pendency of the substantive suit.

Turaki, who is claiming damages in several millions of naira against the defendants, said he was a benefactor to Arabi and Hadiza because he took responsibility of being her fees while she schooled in Baze University, Abuja and assisted her mother too financially.

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He denied allegations of sexual impropriety allegedly raised against him by the defendants, stating that he only fell out with the mother and daughter because he stopped Hadiza from further visiting him when her alleged criminal acts became unbearable for him.

In their joint statement of defence, the defendants denied defaming the ex-Minister, insisting that he was the one who volunteered to sponsor Hadiza’s university education.

They also denied that Hadiza was involved in some criminal acts, alleging that the ex-Minister took advantage of her by sleeping with her until she became pregnant.

The defendants stated that “none of them made slanderous allegation or defamed the character of the claimant but rather, it was the claimant that slandered and defamed the reputable name of their family by breaching the trust of their family.” 

They claimed that the claimant “is frustrating investigation into the matter, more especially when it came to his knowledge that the only way to know the truth of the matter it is by conducting DNA test. 

“The defendants aver that the Investigation Police Officers are of the same opinion that since it is a matter that involves paternity of a baby girl, only DNA Test can resolve the issue between the claimant and the defendants. 

“The defendants, at the trial of this suit, will rely on all the voice messages, conversation, WhatsApp chats, medical reports and any other documents closely or remotely related to this case.”