Court detains man, 42, for abduction of own children

An Ikorodu Customary Court, on Monday in Lagos, ordered one Isreal Linus to be detained for allegedly kidnapping his two children, after the court had given their custody to his wife.

President of the Court, Mrs Omolara Abiola, had in 2016 awarded the custody of the two children to Mrs Israel Mary after noting that her husband of 14 years was irresponsible.

Abiola ordered the 42-year-old husband to be detained for contempt, having been warned not to take the children away from their mother.

“Linus absconded with the children since December 2016; he was traced and accosted at Ikeja area of Lagos in January 2017.

“He kept the children in a hidden place and had been maltreating them while he also refused to enrol them in school.

“It was the children that secretly informed their mother of their whereabouts through a phone call,” she explained.

Abiola, however, ordered the husband never to visit their residence till the final decision of the court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the 35-year-old wife, who resides at Lowa Street, in Ikorodu area of Lagos, had approached the court seeking dissolution of her marriage, accusing the husband of irresponsibility and battery.

The court granted her request and dissolved the marriage after efforts at reconciliation proved abortive.

In the ruling,  the woman was granted custody of the children and said the father could only visit the children at reasonable time of the day.

The case has been adjourned till March 17 for further hearing.