Chief Magistrate Kikelomo Ayeye sitting at the Tinubu Chief Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday granted Aminu Atiku, the son of former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, interim custody of his two children.
The court granted Aminu custody, so as to allow his daughter, Amirah, 8, and his son Amir, 6, complete their third term in their school in Lagos.
The court ruled that both children should be in his custody from November 1 till January 10, 2018.
Chief Magistrate Ayeye made the order during continued hearing of a child custody suit filed by the kids’ mother, Ms Fatima Bolori.
The proceedings were closed to the press, but reporters learnt that Aminu informed the court that he had paid both children’s school fees for the entire year.
He persuaded the court to allow the kids live in his Lagos home, until the next hearing of the suit.
Chief Magistrate Ayeye, however, ordered Aminu to write a letter to the kids’ school, introducing Fatima as their mother and permitting her unfettered access to Amirah and Amir in their school, at any time of the day.
The court directed Aminu to allow Amirah and Amir to spend weekends, public holidays, including Christmas holidays, with Fatima, whenever she was in Lagos.
Chief Magistrate Ayeye also ordered Aminu to deposit both children’s international passports in their mother’s custody.
The kids, who entered the courtroom at 1:28pm in the custody of their mother, played for a few minutes with their father who arrived earlier.
At 2pm, the parties moved to the judge’s chambers as hearing began.
However, a few minutes later, Amirah walked out of the magistrate’s chambers in tears, but she was consoled by a lawyer and returned to the room.
The case was adjourned till January 10.
