The Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Gudu, Abuja, has fixed October 28, 2025, for the hearing of pending applications in the ongoing child custody case between Prince Abdulmalik Ado Ibrahim and his estranged wife, Adama Indimi.
The case, which has drawn public attention due to the prominent backgrounds of both parties, involves Prince Abdulmalik, son of the late Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, and Adama, daughter of Borno-born billionaire businessman, Mohammed Indimi.
The couple, who married on August 8, 2020, formally dissolved their union on August 26, 2024, at the Upper Area Court, Gudu, after four years of marriage. The marriage produced one child.
Following the dissolution, Adama’s counsel, Mohammed Aliyu, citing provisions of Islamic law which typically grant custody of an underage child to the mother while obligating the father to provide maintenance, filed an application at the Upper Area Court, Kado, seeking full custody of the child.
She requested monthly maintenance to cover feeding, clothing, utilities, and a nanny’s salary pegged at $2,000 plus ₦100,000, alongside payment of school fees and assistance with the child’s travel and legal documentation.
In response, the prince’s legal representative, Darlington Onyekwere, stated that his client was not opposed to Adama’s custody request but proposed a ₦1 million monthly allowance in place of the dollar-based demand, while offering to pay the school fees directly to the institution.
His team subsequently sought leave of court to amend their counterclaim.
Tensions heightened when Adama’s counsel accused the prince of deliberately frustrating court proceedings and witnesses.
The counsel urged the court to compel his personal appearance and to mandate the submission of six months’ bank statements to ascertain his financial standing.
The trial court granted the request, prompting the prince’s legal team to appeal the decision, alleging judicial bias by the presiding judge.
Meanwhile, at the Upper Area Court, Kado, Adama’s lawyers filed a motion for the issuance of a bench warrant against the prince to ensure his attendance, with that matter now set for October 27.
At the appellate session in Gudu, Mark Asu-Opi, appearing for the prince, sought additional time to respond to a counter-affidavit filed by Adama’s counsel, who maintained that the response was filed within the statutory period.
After listening to both parties, the three-member panel of the Sharia Court of Appeal, led by Grand Khadi Ibrahim Rufai Imam, adjourned the case to October 28, 2025, for a comprehensive hearing of all applications.
The upcoming hearing is expected to determine the procedural and substantive issues surrounding custody, maintenance obligations, and allegations of judicial bias, marking a pivotal stage in one of Nigeria’s most closely watched family law disputes.
