A man, Yahaya Saleh, on Friday refused to collect the bride price he earlier paid for his wife as ordered by a Grade 1 Area Court in Lugbe, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court on Friday dissolved the marriage between Saleh and his wife, Rabi, and ordered the wife to return the bride price.
However, Saleh who lives in Jedo Estate, Lugbe, Abuja, told the court that he would not collect back the bride price because he had children with his estranged wife.
He said that the marriage was consummated under Islamic Law and was blessed with two children, the first being four years old and the second, two years old.
Delivering judgment earlier, the judge, Saleh Ramat, had dissolved the marriage on the grounds of Saleh’s lack of care for Rabi, adding that the marriage had broken down irretrievably.
Rabbi had in her petition, filed before the court, alleged that her husband had not been taking care of her and their two children throughout their 6-year old marriage.
“My husband does not care about our health. Whenever the children or me are sick, he doesn’t show care.
“I have been the one feeding the family, caring for their health and all other needs.
“I want the court to dissolve the marriage. I have no love for my husband again,” she had told the court.
Also the Grade I Area Court, Lugbe, Abuja, on Friday, dissolved a 13-year-old marriage between one Fausiya Abdul-Hameed and her husband, Abdul Hameed, over the latter’s lack of love and maltreatment of his wife.
Delivering judgment, the Judge, Saleh Ramat, held that the marriage had broken down irretrievably.
He dissolved the marriage on the grounds that the estranged couple had lost interest in their union and had also consented to dissolving the marriage.
“Both parties have consented to the dissolution of the marriage and the respondent has also asked the court to grant his wife’s prayer for divorce,” the judge held.
He directed the petitioner to file a separate suit in another court for the recovery of her property from her ex-husband’s house, as his court had no jurisdiction over such matter.
Ramat also ordered the petitioner to file a fresh application before his court for the custody of their two children.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Fausiya had earlier in her petition alleged that her husband was maltreating her and had refused to take care of her and their children.
She claimed that as a result of her husband’s behaviour, their first daughter died.
“He doesn’t feed the family. In fact, we usually beg to feed,” she said.
Fausiya further said that her husband used to lock her up in the house and deny her access to people.
She further stated that when neighbours got to know about the maltreatment, they reported the matter to the Chief of Gbessa community for his intervention.
Fausiya said, “He was invited several times by the chief, but he never showed up.
“When I couldn’t take it anymore, I traveled to Lagos to stay with my mother for two years.
“The community decided to rent an apartment for me because my life was in danger.
“My husband no longer has any love for me; I want the court to dissolve this marriage and help me recover all my personal belongings from his house.
“I also want to have the custody of the remaining two children,” she added.
NAN reports that the respondent did not deny the allegations made by his wife and neither did he object to her prayer for divorce.
NAN
