A Makurdi Upper Area Court on Thursday dissolved the marriage between Mr Stephen Adoyi and his wife, Rita, over starvation, negligence and breach of marriage vows.
The Judge, Mrs. Fatima Akintomide, while delivering her judgement, said that the marriage was being dissolved because the husband, who was the respondent in the matter, had conceded to it.
Akintomide ordered the petitioner, Rita, to refund the sum of N10,000, being the dowry paid on her head, to the respondent, within two weeks.
The Judge said that the declaration was pursuant to Sections 10 CD and (2) of Idoma Native Marriage Law and Customs Order 1970.
She also ordered the respondent to allow the petitioner to retrieve all her belongings in his custody.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that Mrs. Rita Adoyi had petitioned the court to dissolve the marriage between her and Mr Stephen Adoyi on the grounds of starvation, negligence and breach of marriage vows.
Rita averred that she had lived with the respondent at Otukpa in Ogbadibo Local Government of Benue, and later wedded him at Holy Ghost Catholic Church, Makurdi, in 2005.
She told the court that there was no longer love between her and the respondent, adding that he was already married to another wife thereby breaking the vows of their marriage.
She also claimed that Stephen had subjected her to starvation since 2011.
“My husband built a house and has moved in with his second wife; he does not care about me any longer. Even when there was riot in my area and I called him, he refused to answer my call.
“I had to run for my dear life, and when I returned, I saw that my husband has changed the key to the house and went away”.
She said that the marriage had not borne any fruit, adding that she could not continue to remain as the wife of the respondent.
The petitioner urged the court to dissolve their marriage, and promised to refund the N10,000 paid on her head.
Rita also begged the court to compel the respondent to release all her property in his possession.
NAN reports that the respondent, Mr Stephen Adoyi, did not appear before the court even though he was served with the its summon.
He later sent his lawyer, who asked the court to give the woman what she wanted. (NAN)