KADUNA, Nigeria — A 47-year-old man asked a customary court to dissolve his marriage of 20 years, alleging that his wife physically assaulted him and threatened his life.
Johnson Gabriel, a resident of Sabon Tasha, presented the Kaduna divorce petition on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
His wife denied the accusations and said he wanted to marry another woman.
Gabriel told the court that his wife, identified as Janet, became violent whenever they disagreed.
He also accused her of being disrespectful and said repeated attempts to resolve their differences had failed.
Relatives and the couple’s children had intervened in the dispute without securing a resolution, Gabriel said.
“I am tired of the constant abuse and threat to life, I want a divorce,” he told the court.
Janet rejected her husband’s account and offered a different explanation for the petition.
“My husband wants to marry another woman and he is trying to make me look bad,” she said.
“Whenever he has small money, his behaviour changes toward me,” she added.
The presiding judge, Dauda Bala, advised the couple to attempt reconciliation, particularly because of their children.
Bala adjourned the case until September 20, when the parties are expected to report whether they have reached a settlement.
If reconciliation efforts fail, the court is expected to proceed with the hearing.
