A businessman, Haruna Adamu, whose wife, Salamatu Abubakar, is seeking a dissolution of their marriage has prayed a Magajin Gari Shari’a Court in Kaduna State to order her to return the brideprice that was paid or return to their matrimonial home.
Adamu said he did not have money to marry another wife.
“So, if my wife is not willing to return to me, she should refund the bride price I paid to her parents,” he said.
He said that he met his now estranged wife as a divorcee and decided to marry her.
According to him, the marriage lasted for just just eight months during which he enjoyed her only for the first two months.
He said that things went awry thereafter, following which she relocated to her parents.
The complainant told the court that for six months, he had been sending money and foodstuff to his wife, while she was still residing with her parents.
“I married her as a divorcee and in the eight months of our marriage, I only enjoyed two months of peace. I love my wife and I want her back. But if she’s not willing to return home, then she should pay me off so that I can remarry because I don’t have money to marry another woman,” he said.
On her part, the defendant said she was compelled to quit her matrimonial home because Adamu was physically abusing her.
She added that her estranged husband demonstrated no empathy towards her mother, who was sick.
She said she would rather refund the N75,000 dowry which her husband paid to her parents than return to her matrimonial home.
The Judge, Malam Isiyaku Abdulrahman, adjourned the matter to January 17, 2024, for further hearing.
He explained that this would enable the complainant to present a comprehensive list of the items he claimed, as well as evidence of the money he allegedly spent on the respondent.