My Husband Has Shunned My Bed For Too Long, Please Separate Us, Wife Tells Court

A Mararaba Upper Area Court, Nasarawa State, on Friday dissolved the six-month marriage between Saratu Abdullahi and her husband, Malam Ja’afaru, over lack of care and inconsiderate behaviour.

The judge, Ibrahim Shakarau, dissolved the marriage in the interest of peace, saying that the parties have ceased to be husband and wife henceforth.

“The parties are to maintain peace all the time, any violation of the order of this court will amount to contempt and, of course, with grave consequences.

“Also, the parties should collect their divorce certificate from the registrar’s office,’’ he ordered.


The judge advised the petitioner to observe her iddah (menstrual flow that a woman must observe after the death of her husband or divorced) according to Islamic rites, for three months before she can remarry.

Saratu had told the court that she was married to the respondent in December 2017, under Islamic rites in Mararaba, Karu Local Government Area, and the union did not produce any child.

“He is not considerate. As a Muslim, I am not supposed to pray and fast during menstruation, but he forced me to fast and pray, knowing that I was not supposed to, even though he is a Muslim too.

“Ja’afaru does not feed me or care for me. When I was sick, he did not take me to the hospital and sometime in June, I left his house and he did not care to bring me back.

“He denied me sex because he has abandoned my bed for long.

“Please, let this honourable court separate us, there is no longer love in the union and nothing can bring us together again because I have lost love and affection for him,’’ she said.

The respondent, who was present in court, did not object to the separation, and prayed the court to grant the petitioner’s request.

NAN