British-Nigerian Engineer Speaks On International Custody Dispute: ‘I Only Want To Be A Father To My Son’

An international custody dispute involving British-Nigerian engineer Mr. Ifedayo Adeyeye has drawn public attention following reports of his release from a London prison while extradition proceedings to France remain ongoing.

The case centers on Adeyeye’s son, Laurys, and differing accounts presented in courts in France and England regarding the child’s residence and parental arrangements.

The English High Court previously found that Laurys had been wrongfully removed from France to Nigeria in 2024.

Adeyeye was jailed for contempt of court for failing to return his son to France.

According to the court’s ruling, the decision was made in the context of securing the child’s return to his stated habitual residence.

Adeyeye has since been released, with extradition proceedings to France still ongoing.

According to witness statements filed in both countries, Adeyeye met Ms. Claire Mireille N’Djosse in Grenoble, France, in October 2019 while working as an engineering consultant.

Court documents state that she approached him for assistance, saying she was a refugee from Cameroon.

Family sources and court filings describe the early relationship as one built on mutual support. Adeyeye alleges he provided financial and other assistance, including accommodation, travel, medical costs, and other living expenses.

Court documents also reference holidays the pair reportedly took together in France, Italy and Switzerland.

Family sources say Adeyeye’s support continued after the relationship ended.

Court filings allege that during the relationship, discussions about having a child took place. According to Adeyeye’s witness statement, he declined to participate in IVF at the time due to personal reasons.

After the relationship ended, Ms. N’Djosse informed Adeyeye she had suffered a miscarriage. She later became pregnant.

Adeyeye’s legal team alleges that a birth certificate was obtained listing another man as the father two months before the child’s birth. They argue this delayed his ability to establish a legal relationship with Laurys for nearly two years, until DNA testing later confirmed Adeyeye as the biological father.

Adeyeye’s family argues that prolonged litigation deprived both father and child of the opportunity to build a normal parent-child relationship, which they say is protected under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights relating to the right to family life.

Court filings submitted by Adeyeye’s team also raise questions about Ms. N’Djosse’s immigration history and contend these issues are relevant to understanding the circumstances around custody and Laurys’s future.

Family sources state that after his engineering assignment in France ended, Adeyeye returned from the UK to France specifically to co-parent and support his son’s early development, and allege that Ms. N’Djosse did not cooperate with those efforts.

In his English witness statement, Adeyeye described himself as a financially stable professional with degrees from Brunel University and a long career in microelectronics engineering.

He noted that he raised two daughters from a previous relationship, and points to a wider family network in both Britain and Nigeria as a support system for Laurys.

The family also highlights what they describe as repeated delays in French proceedings, which they say prolonged uncertainty around paternity and custody.

They further argue that proceedings placed too much emphasis on procedure and not enough on Adeyeye’s rights as the biological father and his stated willingness to assume parental responsibility.

Court filings consistently state that Adeyeye has not sought to abandon his parental responsibilities. He maintains that his goal is for Laurys to be raised within his biological family and to benefit from his British and Nigerian heritage.

The courts have found that the child was removed from his habitual residence in France. Adeyeye maintains that his actions were motivated by concerns for his son’s welfare and his determination to preserve a relationship with his biological child.

As legal processes continue in both the UK and France, the central question for the courts remains how to resolve complex cross-border legal issues while prioritizing Laurys’s best interests.