A Magistrates’ Court in the Federal Capital Territory has granted bail to one-time Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Kabiru Turaki, SAN, in the sum of N1 million after his arraignment on allegations of false marriage, adultery, and other related offences.
Last year, an Upper Area Court sitting at Kado in the FCT granted an order restraining the Nigeria Police from accepting any complaint or carrying out any investigation relating to a paternity wrangle and an allegation of sexual impropriety levelled against a by Ms Hadiza Musa Bafta who reportedly had a child for him outside wedlock.
Turaki, who was arraigned on Thursday, February 6, pleaded not guilty when the First Information Report was read to him in court.
The investigation was based on a petition dated August 9, 2024, and was prosecuted by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Abuja.
According to the prosecutor, Turaki is accused of deceitfully inducing a belief in a lawful marriage, adultery by a man, and criminal intimidation — offences contrary to Sections 383, 387, and 389 of the Penal Code.
The FIR stated: “You, Barrister Kabiru Taminu Turaki (SAN), between December 2014 and August 2016, deceitfully cohabited with Ms Hadiza Musa Bafta at a hotel called Han’s Place.
“You also cohabited with her at Ideal Home Holiday, Asokoro, between August 2016 and November 2021. You rented an apartment for her at No. 12 Clement Akpagbo Close, Guzape, in November 2021 and made her believe you were married to her. You continuously had sexual relations with her, which resulted in the birth of a baby girl.
“You abandoned Hadiza Musa Baffa and her child, denying paternity. You also threatened to use your influence and position to harm the mother and child.
“You are thereby suspected to have committed the above offences.”
The prosecuting counsel, Chijioke Okorie, requested a trial date after the ex-minister entered his plea.
The defendant’s lawyer, A. I. Mohammed, did not oppose the prosecution’s request but applied for bail, assuring the court that his client would be available whenever required.
Magistrate Abubakar Jega granted Turaki bail in the sum of N1 million, with two sureties in like sum.
He ruled that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and provide proof of residence.
The case was adjourned until 11 March for trial.
Background
The Upper Area Court at Kado while
Granting Turaki’s prayers following an ex-parte motion moved by his counsel on 2 September 2024, Hon. Shehu Ahmadu of Upper Area Court sitting at Kado in his ruling directed the Inspector-General of Police and his officers not to accept any complaint from Musa Baffa, Uwani Arabi and their daughter, Hadiza Baffa, in relation to the matter as an action was already before the Court.
“Respondents are hereby restrained, especially 4th to 10th respondents from accepting any complaint from the 1st to 3rd respondents (parents and daughter) especially the 2nd respondent (Hadiza) or carrying any investigation relating to the applicant as the matter is already before a competent court of law, the Upper Area Court Kado FCT, in CV/35/2024 until the determination of the motion on notice before this court.
“This order Is given under the hand and seal of the honourable judge.”
Turaki had in the motion, number: M/26/2024, sued Musa Baffa (father), Hadiza Baffa (daughter), Uwani Arabi (mother) and Nigeria Police Force as 1st to 4th respondents respectively.
Others listed in the application include the I-G, DIG Sylvester Alabi (DIG Force CID), AIG Muhammad Dan Kwara (Force CID), CP Musbahu Ajani (CP Admin, Force CID), CSP Mohammed Gashua and SP Ibrahim Shugaba as 5th to 10th respondents.
In the substantive suit, marked: CV/35/2024, filed before the court, Turaki sued Musa, Hadiza and Uwani as 1st to 3rd defendants.
While the former Minister denied being responsible for Hadiza’s pregnancy, which resulted in a baby girl, insisting that Hadiza had a boyfriend who he said was responsible for the pregnancy, Hadiza’s mother, Uwani Arabi (2nd defendant) in the defendants’ statement of defence alleged that Turaki opted to serve as her daughter’s guardian but took advantage of her and got her pregnant.
Further stating she never knew the Senior Advocate had ulterior motives when he offered to help with her daughter’s education, Uwani in the defendants’ joint statement of defence pointed out that Turaki told them he was taking her under his wings as his own daughter but turned round to initiate sexual relations with her.
Refuting Turaki, SAN’s criminal allegations against them, the trio, Musa Bashir Baffa ( 1st Defeandant and Hadiza’s father), Hadiza Musa Baffa (2nd Defendant) and Uwani Arabi (3rd Defendant and Hadiza’s mother) in their joint statement of defence maintained that the ex-minister exploited and used them only to run to court after the Human Rights Radio (Brekete) invited him for intervention following his refusal to take care of his little daughter whose antenatal and birth he took care of at Nizamiyye Hospital in Abuja.
Hadiza and Uwani averred that it was the ex-Minister who reached out 3rd defendant (Uwani) and offered to help her daughter “by enrolling her into Baze University in Abuja, bear the cost of her education and accommodation; and serve as her guardian”.
They said Hadiza’s registration fees when she gained admission in 2014 was N950,000 and that the ex-minister gave her $2,000 for the fees.
Uwani, who said she never influenced the Senior Advocate’s decision added that she did not suspect Turaki had sinister motives towards her daughter. She also said contrary to Turaki’s claim that she begged him to give her daughter a car, she never had any such discussion with the ex-minister.
Hadiza on her part averred that she never suspected that Turaki’s benevolence towards her was to take her advantage.
According to her, it was the plaintiff who called her to pick up the Toyota Almera from his office at T. Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro, Abuja and she was surprised to see that the car particulars carried her name as: “Hadiza Turaki.”
On her part, Hadiza alleged that it was Turaki who had changed her name to “Hadiza Turaki” by putting same on the vehicle papers he bought for her and persuaded her to use the same name on her Guaranty Trust Bank account number through which he sent monies to her severally through his account officer.
Hadiza alleged that she “had challenges with her education, and faced physical and emotional trauma when the Plaintiff exploited her under the guise of being her guardian and frequently visiting her in the apartments he got for her and severally lured her into having an illicit sexual relationship with him.
She added that the “ Plaintiff severally threatened her not to let her parents know that he was taking advantage of her thus, she was scared and traumatised trauma affected her and her studies.”
She alleged that he frequently visited her in the apartment he rented for her and severely pressured her to have sexual intercourse with him. That on many such occasions, the Plaintiff would threaten to cut off the financial support he was offering her.
That “under such threat and coercion she gave into his sinister moves. Further to the above, the Plaintiff also threatened the 2nd Defendant never to allow the 3rd Defendant, her mother to know about his sexual exploitation of her and as a result she was scared of letting her know until after a long time.”
According to her, when the plaintiff realised that she was going through psychological and physical trauma, he kept promising to marry her and began to build romantic phone and WhatsApp conversations with her.
Hadiza alleged that when she discovered that she was pregnant for Turaki, she informed him and he took several steps, including phone calls made to her, trying to compel and pushing her to abort the pregnancy.
She said she decided to keep the pregnancy against all odds when she was advised against terminating it and the risk involved.
She alleged that Turaki became wild against her when she refused to listen to him.
Hadiza said she delivered the baby girl on April 3, 2023 “And when the plaintiff later saw the baby, he acknowledged that she was his daughter as a result of the striking resemblance with him.”
She further alleged that the ex-minister even paid monies for the antenatal, delivery and post-natal services of the baby girl at Nizamiyye Hospital, Abuja.
The ex-Minister had alleged that sometime in 2016, Uwani, who was a person known to him in Kano before her marriage to Musa, called him on the phone and sought his advice on her plans to relocate her daughter, Hadiza, “who was then schooling, according to her, at University of Maiduguri, because of the activities of Boko Haram.”
He said he advised Uwani to secure admission for her daughter at Bayero University, Kano; Usman Danfodiyo University, Sokoto; or the University of Ilorin.
Turaki said after some weeks of the previous discussion, Uwani called and told him that she was coming to Abuja together with Hadiza and begged him to arrange accommodation for them.
He said he obliged by securing an accommodation at Ideal Guest House, Garki, which Is a furnished apartment let out for short or long stays.
He said Uwani secured admission for Hadiza at Baze University in Abuja and he supported her with N1 million out of the N3 million for registration.
He alleged that Uwani pleaded with him to serve as Guardian for her daughter, Hadiza.
The ex-Minister, who averred that he took responsibility for Hadiza’s upkeep, said he was surprised to discover that Hadiza connived with her mother to change her surname to Turaki without his knowledge and consent.
He alleged that when Hadiza’s criminal acts became so intense, he drove her away and directed his staff not to allow her close to her office anymore.
He alleged that after walking out on the daughter and the mother for a month or so, Uwani called him on the phone and requested to see him.
He said during the meeting, Uwani told him that her daughter was pregnant and she said he was responsible.
Turaki averred that he outrightly denied the allegation, describing it as a blackmail.
