Dissolution: Only the living can marry,14-year-old estranged wife tells court

A 14-year-old wife, Hadiza Bala on Friday told Gudu Grade II Area Court, Abuja, that she would not go back to her estranged husband for fear of her life.

Bala said this while seeking the dissolution of her one-year marriage to Abubakar Usman.

She informed the court that she was afraid of life under the same roof with her husband due to his constant physical abuse.

According to her, only the living can marry.

Usman had approached the court for an order to make his in-laws to return his wife back to him.

ALSO READ: Man docked for obtaining N320,000 under false pretences

He informed the court that he had married Hadiza legally under Islamic law on Dec.28, 2018 but ran back to her parents’ house adding that all efforts to make her return had failed.

He told the court that after he had problems with his work, his wife started misbehaving by shouting that she could no longer stay married to him.

The plaintiff prayed the court to compel the girl’s parent’s to bring her back to his house as the marriage was legally contracted.

“I want the court to tell them to return my wife because I married her legally,” he said.

Justice Ado Muktar, after listening to the submission from both parties, told the court that under Islamic law, due to the abuse claim, the plaintiff had changed to become the respondent.

He ordered Hadiza to produce two witnesses to corroborate her claims of physical abuse at the next adjourned date.

He further adjourned the case to June 25, for hearing.