Senator Ned Nwoko has said that Nollywood actress Regina Daniels must fully comply with a court-ordered drug rehabilitation programme before she can regain access to their children, amid an ongoing family dispute that has played out publicly in recent weeks.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, by his communication team, the lawmaker accused his estranged wife of promoting what he described as misleading narratives about the situation. The statement, titled “Take the Window of Quietude for Therapy,” said Daniels’ recent social media posts misrepresented facts and departed from long-standing family practices.

According to the statement, claims surrounding the children’s privacy were inconsistent with past behaviour within the family. Nwoko’s camp said sharing photos and moments involving the children had never been considered inappropriate or controversial.

“Publicly sharing moments involving the children has always been a shared tradition,” the statement said. It added that Daniels herself had, over the years, voluntarily shared images of her own children as well as those of other wives without objection or concern for privacy.

The statement argued that describing such actions as harmful only now, when circumstances have changed, raises questions about the consistency of the claims being made.

Dispute over access to children

Nwoko also rejected suggestions that Daniels had been deliberately cut off from her children. According to the statement, her absence from their lives was a personal choice rather than the result of any restriction imposed by the family.

“The children have not been hidden from her,” the statement said. “They have been safeguarded in an environment that prioritises routine, care and emotional balance.”

It further alleged that, aside from what it described as brief and staged domestic appearances, Daniels had focused more on social engagements and nightlife than on maintaining a stable and consistent presence in the children’s lives.

Concerns over wellbeing and court ruling

Addressing concerns about Daniels’ wellbeing, Nwoko’s camp said repeated calls for her to seek rehabilitation were made out of concern rather than punishment.

“Encouragement to seek rehabilitation is not cruelty,” the statement said. “Children deserve a parent who is emotionally present, mentally stable and sober most of the time. This is the minimum standard of care any parent owes their children.”

According to the statement, the matter has already been considered by a court. It said the ruling was delivered in favour of Senator Nwoko, with clear directives that Daniels must undergo drug rehabilitation and be assessed by the Abuja Social Welfare Department before access to the children can be restored.

The children were identified as Munir, aged five, and Khalifa, aged three. The case has reportedly been adjourned to February 4, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.

The statement also noted that the court struck out and dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement action filed against Nwoko and the Nigeria Police.

Call for restraint

Despite the court’s decisions, Nwoko said his family chose not to publicise the rulings at the time, opting instead to give Daniels privacy and space to focus on recovery.

“That restraint was intentional,” the statement said, adding that the aim was to allow her seek therapy without public pressure or embarrassment.

However, Nwoko expressed concern that recent online activity could be using public sympathy to deflect attention from unresolved personal issues. He said compliance with the court’s directives remained the only meaningful path to restoring contact with the children.

“If there is a genuine desire to see the children, the most responsible step is to comply with the court-directed rehabilitation process and show a sustained commitment to personal wellbeing,” the statement said.

He concluded by expressing hope that the period would be used for healing and recovery rather than further online controversy.