Drama as 70yr-old man, late wife’s family fight over inheritance of adopted 7yr-old child

By Stanley Onyekwere

The seemingly uneding controversial custody battle for a seven year-old Khadizat Suleiman, have taken a dramatic twist, as the family of her late foster mother, Haj. Salamatu Suleiman are accusing her foster father, Alhaji Sule Usman of moves to sell off property worth over N100 million willed to her.

It was gathered that Usman, a native of Okpo in Kogi state, who is a retired Assistant Director of Accounts with the Ministry of Police Affairs, now residing in Kubwa Abuja, is said to have married the late Hajia Salamatu  Sule for almost 12 years, before the woman died without a biological child, except the adopted girl child.

The younger sister of the late woman, Aisha Ameh who took the child adoption battle to Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Child Welfare Unit, said her late sister’s husband had never accepted the child while the woman was alive.

Ameh noted that the man who has four other wives with many children, opposed the child adoption idea by her late sister,  claiming that his Islamic faith does not support it.

She said that the man who is still a moslem, all of a sudden developed interest in the child, because he wants to take over everything willed to the adopted child and transfer same to other children of the other wives.

She further accused the man of physically and emotionally abusing the 7 years little girl.

According to her, even though an FCT Area Court has granted the custody of the child to the man, after his subtle moves for re-adoption failed, the life of the child was in danger, as the other children of the man do not welcome the adopted child into the family.

Ameh has called on government to quickly take over the late woman’s property valued at over N100 Million, and keep same in trustee for the child.

“Please, and please, I’m appealing to Nigerians though judgement has been given, we don’t have power but we solicit for the help of Nigerians and the Nigerian government, please come rescue this little child and all that my sister has laboured for.

“Because,  if those things are left in the hands of those people that hated her. She will end up getting nothing. In this world, she will be a loser. I’m appealing, please, please, come and rescue this little child” , she stressed.

Meanwhile, the embattled foster father, a document he submitted to the court, said he has taken custody of the child to adequately care for her, while also ensuring that the property left by his late wife for the child was preserved.

He equally debunked the claims that he opposed the adoption of the child, stating that he actually supported his late wife and welcomed her into his family.

Recall that the deceased wife’s family had in petitioned the Gender department of the SDS, to rescue young Khadizat from Alhaji Usman and his biological children, alleging abuse of the minor.