Ekiti Court dissolves 3-year-old union over threat to life

An Ado-Ekiti Customary Court on Thursday dissolved a three-year-old union between Beatrice Agbaniko and her husband, Samuel over of threat to life and lack of care.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the parties had earlier given their evidence on April 4 and judgment was fixed for May 16.

Beatrice, 39, a resident of No 2, Okesa, Ise- Orun Local Government, Ise-Ekiti, told the court that she met the respondent in 2015 and he had always threatened to kill her for refusing to marry him legally.

She said that they were not living together and whenever he comes to visit her, they always fight.

“He injured my left hand to the extent that I can hardly lift any object.

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“I  told him severally that I cannot marry him because he is talkative and discuss her everywhere he goes,’’ she said.

Beatrice said that there was a time he talked about her in the church, which made her leave the church because he had turned the pastor’s mind against her.

“He has not been a responsible father to our child.

“I have been responsible for everything and he even told me to withdraw the case from the court because he would not pay anything for the upkeep of the child,’’ she said.

Beatrice told the court that she wanted him to be responsible for the child’s education and if he wanted to see his child, he could do it in the school but subject to her notification.

The petitioner urged the court to award the custody of the child to her because of her husband’s threats.

The respondent, Samuel, 39, who lives in Ado-Ekiti along Iworoko-Ekiti, denied the allegations.

He said when he met his wife and proposed to her, she agreed and took him to her parents and they were so much in love.

He said suddenly she changed toward him and if he called her, she would not pick his calls which made him report her to her parents.

Samuel said they called her and she explained to them that her husband used to disturb her with calls.

He said there was a time she stayed away from him for almost four months, saying that her church asked her to stay away from him.

Samuel said he was the one responsible for the welfare of the child from her antenatal clinics and after delivery till date but she denied him access to see his child.

The respondent said he still loves his wife and wants her back but noted that if she is pregnant for another man, they can go their separate ways.

The President of the Court, Mrs Olayinka Akomolede, observed that the union had broken down irretrievably and consequently dissolved it.

Akomolede awarded to the petitioner (Beatrice) custody of the only child of the union.

She ordered the respondent to pay N3,000 monthly as feeding allowance of the child.

Akomolede said that both parties should be jointly responsible for the child’s education.

She granted access to the respondent to see his child only during school hours upon notification.