By Tgnews Reporter
A resident of Adamawa State, Mrs. Zhihwi Mercy Tizhe, has accused the judiciary of systemic delays and alleged complicity in failing to enforce a 2024 court judgment awarding her custody of two of her four children.
Tizhe, a staff member of the Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE) project, told journalists in Yola that her former husband, Professor Caleb Fili of Modibbo Adama University, continues to withhold the children despite the ruling.
The mother of four described a 12-year legal ordeal that has left her emotionally and physically exhausted.
On January 15, 2024, the Upper Area Court in Yola, presided over by His Worship Buba Abubakar, granted Tizhe custody of her third and fourth daughters, while allowing the first and second to decide their residence.
“Despite repeated visits to the court, enforcement remains stalled,” Tizhe said. “My counsel informed me the judge declined to sign the enforcement order, yet the judge insisted he had signed. To date, no action has been taken.”
She alleged that her ex-husband has leveraged influential connections within the state judiciary to obstruct implementation. Professor Fili has reportedly left the country, placing the children under his sister’s care and denying Tizhe access for over a decade.
“I have been barred from the children’s school and home. Both parents are alive, yet the girls have grown without parental care,” she stated.
Tizhe further claimed the Adamawa State Ministry of Justice attempted to pressure her into signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would nullify the judgment, limiting her to holiday visits only.
“No MoU can supersede a valid court order. I refused,” she affirmed.
She has petitioned the Chief Judge of Adamawa State, the Governor, the National Human Rights Commission, and the Attorney-General of the Federation. All acknowledged receipt, but no remedial steps followed.
The Federal Ministry of Justice in Abuja intervened, scheduling a resolution meeting. Tizhe, recovering from a fracture sustained in an accident, attended a subsequent session with the Director of Citizens Engagement.
Her ex-husband appeared with three daughters, who expressed willingness to join their mother yet the MoU was again presented. She declined.
In November, Tizhe filed for enforcement before the new presiding judge of Upper Area Court I, who reportedly refused, stating the outcome would align with his discretion rather than her request.
Tizhe appealed to the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Human Rights Commission, and civil society organisations for intervention.
“This transcends my personal case; it reflects broader failures to uphold women’s rights. I hold a binding judgment—enforce it,” she urged.
The prolonged dispute has impacted her health, family, and professional duties. As national lead for an inclusion programme, she has been stranded in Yola for weeks, missing an international conference in Abuja.
She called on the administration of President Bola Tinubu to address systemic lapses in judgment enforcement, warning that such delays erode public trust in the judiciary.
Contacted for response, Professor Caleb Fili declined comment, citing the ongoing nature of the case.
