A member of the Momodu family told SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday that the Adelekes threatened that only the court could take the baby away from them.
The family member who spoke on condition of anonymity said:
‘‘We have been told that only the court can take the baby away from them. But we also want to know if they took the baby away from the mother through the court. The baby’s mother is heartbroken and cries everyday over the matter.’’In a related development, indications emerged on Saturday that the families of Momodu and Adeleke will meet with officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons this week over the petition sent by the Momodus to the agency on December 30, 2015.
The agency had last week invited the parties concerned in the matter.
Sophia had in a petition by her lawyer, alleged that her daughter, Imade, was being held away from her by the Adelekes with an attempt to take her abroad without her consent.
SUNDAY PUNCH gathered from sources close to the two families that the parties concerned were ready to honour the invitation.
One of the sources who spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday said:
‘‘I can confirm to you that the two families are meeting with the agency this week. I cannot say the exact day of the week because the agency gave an option for them to choose a particular day the two families can agree on. They are to come and explain what transpired before it got to the level of attempted abduction.’’Sophie Momodu’s lawyer, Mr. Gbolaga Ajayi, had in the petition to NAPTIP urged the agency to intervene in the matter.
The petition read in part:
“Our client, a 27-year-old, is the biological mother of a baby girl with name, Aurora Imade Adeleke, who was born on the 14th day of May 2015. The baby’s father is Mr. David Adedeji Adeleke (aka Davido). The father and mother are unmarried.
“On the 11th July, 2015, our client was tricked into visiting the house of Mr. David Adeleke’s half sister – Miss Ashley Coco Adeleke ─ with her baby, Imade Aurora Adeleke. After getting to the house on Baderinwa Alabi Street, Lekki Phase I, Lagos, our client’s baby was forcefully taken from her and she was thrown out of the premises with the threat that she would be decisively dealt with if she ever bothered to return there.
“There were armed policemen on the premises and our client’s survival instinct made her leave her breast-suckling baby behind, with so much pain in her heart.
“When Mrs. Modupe Mofikoya, the immigration officer who attended to the Adeleke travelling party accosted Ashley Adeleke and asked for the mother of the baby, she claimed that she was the mother. Immediately, the immigration officer on duty collected her Nigerian passport, she quickly absconded from the scene with the baby. Her father, Mr. Deji Adeleke, showed up shortly afterwards to clear his daughter’s mess.
“Our client, with the help of her family members, including Mr. Dele Momodu, determinedly resisted the attempt by Miss Ashley Adeleke and her father from taking away Imade Adeleke from Lagos. Our client believes that the pair are trying to take the child to America and thus put her out of the reach of the biological mother.
“At the moment, Miss Ashley Adeleke and our client’s daughter, Imade, are still in Lagos and their respective passports are in the custody of the airport immigration services.’’
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