A Kaduna woman, Mrs. Tabitha Iliya, on Thursday asked the Upper Customary Court sitting at Daura Road to dissolve her marriage to Mr. Iliya Yaran, accusing him of neglect, abuse, and subjecting her to humiliation.
Mrs. Iliya, a mother of six, told the court that her husband failed to provide for the family, which compelled her to seek financial assistance elsewhere. She admitted becoming intimate with another man in exchange for money to pay for her daughter’s medical treatment.
According to her, the affair created a permanent rift in the marriage, as she no longer had relations with her husband, who was often absent from home for up to three months at a time because of his job. She further alleged that she endured both verbal and physical abuse, which forced her to leave the matrimonial home for more than a year.
Narrating an incident, she said:
“One day, my friend Esther asked me to accompany her to a bar. While we were there, my husband and his friend walked in. He immediately started insulting me, calling me a prostitute, and even phoned one of our sons to come and witness it.”
Mrs. Iliya said she moved out three days later after her husband insisted she pack her belongings. She claimed she rented another apartment but continued to face threats from him, including attempts to harm her “through diabolical means.” She pleaded with the court to grant her divorce so she could “have peace of mind.”
During cross-examination, Judge Patience Musa asked whether she had contracted HIV. She responded in the affirmative, saying she believed she got it “from God” and added that she no longer had any affection for her husband.
The matter was adjourned to September 29 for the defence hearing.
However, immediately after the adjournment, Mr. Yaran openly threatened his wife in court, saying:
“She is still my wife, and if I catch her with another man again, she will have herself to blame.”
The judge swiftly intervened, stressing that the threat had been officially recorded and warning that if anything happened to Mrs. Iliya, her husband would be held responsible.
