This is a developing and quite alarming situation that has caused significant embarrassment for the UK prison system. You are correct the High Court has taken the rare step of lifting anonymity to help find both the abductor and his son.
Ifedayo Adeyeye (57), a dual British-Nigerian citizen serving a six-month sentence at HMP Pentonville for contempt of court. On April 20, 2026, he was handed an additional 12-month sentence for continuing to ignore court orders to return his son.
Due to a “paperwork error,” the prison was not notified of the new sentence in time. Adeyeye was mistakenly released on April 21, 2026, just one day after being sentenced to another year.
His son, Laurys, was taken from his mother (Claire N’Djosse) in France in July 2024 and is believed to have been moved to Nigeria via the UK.
Scotland Yard has launched a manhunt, but there is a major concern that Adeyeye may have already fled the UK. Some reports suggest he may have traveled to Spain shortly after his release.
Mr. Justice Hayden described the abduction as being in the “most serious class of cases” and criticized the prison’s failure as an “alarming lack of urgency.”
​Typically, family court cases involving children are strictly confidential to protect the minor. However, the judge ruled that the public interest in finding Laurys and returning Adeyeye to custody outweighed those privacy concerns. By releasing their photos and names, authorities hope that someone in the
UK, Nigeria, or elsewhere will recognize them.
This case has certainly put a spotlight on the logistical gaps in the UK’s judicial-to-prison communication, especially when it involves sensitive international custody disputes.
