A 47-year-old man, Johnson Gabriel, has asked a Kaduna Customary Court to end his 20-year marriage to his wife, Janet, accusing her of beating him and threatening his life.
Gabriel, who lives in Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, made the request on Wednesday during a divorce suit.
“My ill-tempered wife beats me whenever we have a misunderstanding,” he told the court.
He also accused his wife of no longer acting like a wife, saying she was not submissive and had become disrespectful.
“My wife no longer behaves like a wife anymore. She is not submissive. She is disrespectful. I have tried my best to resolve the matter with her, but all efforts have failed,” he said.
According to him, family members and their children had tried to settle the dispute, but Janet refused to change.
“I am tired of the constant abuse and threat to life; I want a divorce,” he added.
Janet, who was in court, denied the allegations. She claimed her husband was trying to make her look bad because he wanted to marry another woman.
“My husband wants to marry another woman, and he is trying to make me look bad. Whenever he has small money, his behaviour changes toward me,” she said.
The judge, Dauda Bala, urged the couple to settle their differences, especially for the sake of their children.
Bala adjourned the case until September 20 for a settlement report or hearing.
