Custody tussle: Fani-Kayode is exposing my kids to different women, says Chikwendu

Precious Chikwendu, the estranged wife of Femi Fani-Kayode, former minister of aviation, has accused him of exposing their four children to “indecency” and depriving them of proper care.

Fani-Kayode and Chikwendu’s marriage hit the rock in 2020 over her domestic violence claim and the ex-minister’s counter-claim of infidelity.

They have been in a heated tussle for the custody of their children — Aragorn, Ragnar, Aiden, and Liam — since the marriage crashed.

In March, Chikwendu had approached a high court sitting in the federal capital territory (FCT) to seek custody of her children — with the court ruling in her favour.

But Fani-Kayode had faulted the ruling of the high court — delivered by Sylvanus Oriji, the judge.

The former minister had thereafter approached the Abuja judicial division of the federal court of appeal to challenge the judgement of the high court.

In his motion of appeal, he had argued that the high court lacked the jurisdiction and also denied him fair hearing in the case.

Reacting to the Fani-Kayode’s appeal in a court document seen by TheCable Lifestyle, Chikwendu argued that he is unfit to be in custody of the their children.

Buttressing her point, Chikwendu cited the former minister’s penchant for traveling, adding that he is not always available to attend to their children.

She also alleged that she had received reports that her children are being subjected to alleged “inhuman treatment” by the women taking care of them.

“That my children have been exposed to various women of all sorts as the appellant displays different women before my children in awkward and uncompromising positions thus exposing them to indecency,” she said in her motion of appeal.

“That within this period of my absence, I have received reports of severe, brutish and inhuman treatment meted to them by various women whom the appellant has allowed access to them.

“That my children are of very tender age and need adequate attention from their mother and sound moral upbringing.

“That I am worried about my children’s education status as my first son was stopped from going to school since August 2020 and the triplets who are due for school are not in school or given an education access.

“That I am in the position to understand my four children and cater for them better as the appellant is always busy and does not have the adequate time required to nurture my four children.”

She also prayed the court to grant her interim access to her children pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.

Chikwendu alleged that should there be further delay in granting her application, the former minister, “may make good his threat of relocating my four children out of the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court and/or out of Nigeria to a location in which I will be denied a chance of ever seeing them again.”