Lagos Court Orders Children Returned to Father Amid Custody Dispute

The Lagos High Court, presided over by Justice G. Balogun, ordered the release of two children to their father, Mr.

C.C. Okafor, on Monday, amid an ongoing custody dispute with his estranged wife, Anita Obianwu Okafor.

Mr. Okafor filed an application alleging that his children had been taken from his custody and kept away for several months.

Ayo Adekunle, representing Mr. Okafor, informed the court that the children's mother had left the family a year ago, and since then, Mr.

Okafor has been solely responsible for their upbringing. The court learned that the children were allegedly moved to an orphanage without their father's knowledge or consent.

The matter has also been reported to the Family Affairs Unit, and the Owerri Customary Court had previously ordered the children to be released to Mr. Okafor pending the determination of the custody case.

Justice Balogun directed that the custody proceedings be transferred to the Owerri Customary Court for further hearings.