A Grade A Customary Court sitting at Mapo in Ibadan, Oyo State has ordered for DNA tests on the three children between a divorce-seeking couple, Alhaji Lukman Shittu and Fisayo Shittu.
The court gave the order so as to unravel the mystery surrounding the paternity of the children, which is in dispute.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Shittu, who was the respondent in the suit, had in his counter-argument told the court that his wife was an adulterer and had raised the three children in question through her concubine.
Immediately after making the claim, the court’s President, S.M. Akintayo, ordered the duo to go to a well-established medical centre and carry out DNA tests of the three children to know whether Shittu was their father or not.
Akintayo ruled: “The DNA tests shall be jointly funded by Shittu and Fisayo and the sealed result shall be sent directly by the medical centre to the registrar of this court.”
She adjourned the suit until May 2 for the presentation of the DNA test and further hearing.
In his testimony, Shittu submitted that his wife was riding a beautiful car soon after she packed out from his home in 2021.
He said: “Meanwhile, Fisayo had been boasting that her relative gave her the car.
“My investigation revealed that the same man, who had all along been sleeping with her, bought her the car.
“My lord, Fisayo started misbehaving when I was unable to give her money to rent a shop.
“Then, she began to return home very late and I told her that I will lock her out if she ever tried it again.
“However, Fisayo decided to pack up with the three children from my house.
“Worst still, she has changed the school of the last child without my knowledge and the other two have vowed not to recognise me as their father anymore.
“During the last Ramadan, I invited the second one to come and stay with me, but he declined.
“The first also refused to come to my house when he had his school holiday.
“Could you believe that Fisayo’s concubine worships in the same mosque where I am the cleric?”
Earlier, Fisayo, the petitioner, who lives at Odo Ona Elewe area of Ibadan, contended that her husband was irresponsible and a threat to her.
She said: “Shittu lured me into getting a loan from a microfinance bank under the agreement that I would use it to establish my business without refunding.
“So as to facilitate his adulterous intention, Shittu threatened to stab me one day if I don’t leave his home.
“As if that was not enough, he frequently brought various types of women into our matrimonial home.
“In addition, Shittu demolished the shop which I furnished with my money in order to deny me any business opportunity.
“He called me all sorts of bad names and even rejected being responsible for the children.
“Though, relatives from both families intervened, but I just had to pack up for survival.”
