A Customary Court sitting in Nyanya, Abuja, on Monday, ordered one Catherine Ishaka to stop parading herself as late Senator Joseph Wayas’ widow.
The court, presided over by Justice Doocivir Yawe, further restrained Ishaka from selling Wayas’ property until the determination of the pending suit against her.
Wayas, Nigeria’s Senate President in the Second Republic, died in December 2021.
His first son, Joseph, had approached the court with a petition, urging it to restrain Ishaka, his late father’s alleged concubine, from selling his father’s property.
“I am under apprehension of fear that the defendant is dealing with and will dispose off my late father’s property thereby depriving me and other legal heirs of our inheritance.
“I hereby beg this honourable court to restrain the defendant from selling my father’s property,” he stated.
He alleged that since his father’s demise, the defendant, who was associated with his late father during his lifetime but never married to him, had been parading herself as the representative of the family.
“She has paraded herself as my father’s widow to the Cross River State Government, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and other groups and persons.
“During the preparations for my father’s burial, she had received huge sums of money without remitting any to me.
“I beg the court to stop her from parading herself as my father’s widow,” Oladipo stated.
The defendant was not present in court.
The judge cited section 36 of the Customary Court Act in his ruling.
He later adjourned the matter to April 26 for hearing.
