Victoria Okoro, wife of Francis Obila, son of the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, has publicly appealed for access to her two young children, alleging that she has been separated from them for about eight weeks.
Okoro made the appeal in a statement published on her Facebook page on Monday, August 17, 2026, saying she had remained silent since June 21 in an attempt to resolve the matter privately and peacefully.
According to her, her second child was about three months old when the separation occurred, while her first child was approximately one year and six months old.
She said the prolonged separation had become increasingly difficult, particularly because of the young ages of the children.
Okoro did not disclose the specific circumstances that led to the separation, but said she had held conversations and made several attempts to regain access to her children without taking the matter public.
She explained that she initially believed dialogue and reason would eventually produce a resolution.
However, she said the continued separation had left her with no option but to make a public appeal.
Okoro stressed that her decision was not motivated by bitterness, revenge or hatred, saying her primary concern was the welfare of her children.
She described the children as innocent parties who should not be made to bear the consequences of disagreements between adults.
According to her, both children deserve the love, care and presence of their parents.
The mother also maintained that her decision to remain silent for eight weeks should not be interpreted as acceptance of the situation.
She subsequently appealed to her husband, Francis Obila, and his mother to work towards what she described as a “peaceful and immediate resolution” that would allow her access to and custody of the children.
Okoro gave the parties one week to resolve the matter privately, warning that she may publicly disclose details of the events surrounding her separation from the children if no resolution is reached.
She, however, said any subsequent disclosure would not be intended to attack or destroy anyone’s reputation, but to present her account of events and allow the public to draw its own conclusions.
The circumstances surrounding the family dispute remain unclear, as Okoro did not state whether any court order or formal custody arrangement was involved.
She also named several individuals in her appeal, including Leo Ekene Oketa, Joseph Ugochukwu Onwe, Hon. Patricia Onyemaechi Obila, Vivian Obila Akwuaka and Peace Egwu Obila.
The parties named in the statement have not publicly responded to the allegations as contained in Okoro’s appeal.
Okoro concluded by reiterating that her priority was the wellbeing of her two children, appealing for peace, fairness and justice.
