A foster mother, Pastor Cynthia Salami, has appealed to the Kwara State Ministry of Social Development to comply with a court order directing the release of a four-year-old girl, Salami Penuel Mololuwa.
The minor, who had been in Salami’s custody since birth, was taken from her and placed at the state’s Children Reception Center (Home for the Needy) on March 4, 2015, after her biological mother, Ayanniyi Oluwatobi, filed a complaint.
Despite an interlocutory order issued by the Family Court, Ilorin, on March 28, 2025, and served on the Commissioner for Social Development on April 7, 2025, the child had remained in state custody.
Addressing a press conference in Ilorin on Monday, Salami described the Ministry’s attitude as a “reckless abuse of power; a disobedience to court order and it is a slap on the democratic tenet of Nigeria.”
She recounted how she met Oluwatobi, the biological mother of the Penuel, in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdown, when the then 19-year-old ‘Tobi was brought to the church in an unresponsive state by a church member.
“We clothed, fed and cared for her. When she gave birth to Penuel, my family and I took full responsibility—financially and emotionally,” she said.
“Tobi never showed maternal care. She didn’t breastfeed the baby, and I had to buy formula (baby food) and provide constant care myself”, she explained, adding that, “she abandoned Penuel only to come after two years seeking custody of her.”
Following Tobi’s complaint, Salami was invited to the Ministry of Justice and Social Development for questioning.
Salami, who said that she was asked to present the child for inspection, added that she was shocked when the Ministry ordered her to hand the child over to the Home for the Needy, “without any warning or formal custody hearing.”
“The commissioner gave Penuel away. I was crying and Penuel was also crying; Penuel didn’t understand what was happening,” she added.
Salami said she immediately sought legal counsel at a Family Court in order to get custody of the child, adding that the court, on March 28, granted her temporary custody, “but the Ministry has since failed to return the child.
“Penuel is not a needy child. She is being kept among less privileged children despite having a loving home, family and resources. This is nothing short of emotional and psychological abuse.
Reacting, the commissioner for Social Development, Hajia Maryam Nnafatima-Imam, through the counsel in the matter, said that the state government had also filed the necessary process to, set aside the order of the Family court.
“That is the only thing we can say for now. The mother of the child is still alive, she is not dead, and we do not grant interviews on issues related to the child. It’s illegal.
“The child is with the state government. She is secured with the government and this is with the consent of the biological mother,” the Commissioner stated.
