Ushafa (Bwari-FCT), Oct. 17, 2024 (TheGavel) – A distressing marital dispute has come before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Customary Court in Ushafa, Bwari Area Council, as Mrs. Chiwendu Nwadi accused her husband, Mr. Emeka Nwadi, of poisoning her drink, which allegedly led to the termination of her pregnancy.

In her petition, filed through her lawyer, Mr. Moses Ibe, Mrs. Nwadi is seeking the dissolution of their 13-year marriage, citing irreconcilable differences and accusing her husband of cruelty, infidelity, and physical abuse. The couple, who married in 2011 under Native Law and Custom and later exchanged vows in a church ceremony, have three children together, aged 12, 11, and two.

Allegations of Poisoning and Denial of Pregnancies

Mrs. Nwadi claimed that after the birth of their second child, her husband declared he no longer wanted more children, a decision that was opposed by his mother, who pressured the couple to expand their family. Despite this, Mrs. Nwadi became pregnant seven years later but alleges that upon informing her husband, he poisoned her drink, causing a miscarriage.

“In 2021, I became pregnant again but chose not to disclose it immediately due to my previous experience. When I eventually informed him, he denied being responsible for the pregnancy and accused me of adultery,” she said.

She further recounted that her husband sent her out of their matrimonial home after discovering the pregnancy, packed her belongings, and left them at her family’s house. Elders from his village later intervened, insisting that his actions were against Igbo tradition. As a resolution, it was agreed that a DNA test would be conducted after the child’s birth.

“After I gave birth, the child turned out to be a ‘carbon copy’ of my husband. That was the last I heard about the DNA test,” she stated.

Mrs. Nwadi also alleged that her husband habitually denies her pregnancies but accepts the children as his once they resemble him. She accused him of being a serial adulterer and a violent man who regularly beat her.

Accusations of Witchcraft and Violence

According to the petitioner, her husband once accused her and her mother of being responsible for his personal misfortunes, claiming that they had used spiritual means to tie down his destiny.

“He told me that several spiritualists had informed him that my mother and I were behind his difficulties. He also accused me of adultery and lesbianism,” she revealed.

Mrs. Nwadi described a September 2024 incident when her husband, accompanied by several men, stormed her shop at Dutse Central Market, Abuja. She claims he packed her goods, locked her shop, and threatened to kill her if she returned.

Separation from Children and Allegations of Abuse

Mrs. Nwadi further lamented that she has been denied access to their three children, despite repeated attempts to visit them at their school, Amazing Kids Academy, Kubwa. She stated that the school management informed her that her husband had served them with a court order barring her from contacting the children.

Since her eviction from their home, Mrs. Nwadi claims that her husband moved a 24-year-old woman into the house, who has allegedly mistreated the children. She expressed concern over the deteriorating welfare of the children and reported that attempts by her parents to mediate with her husband’s family have failed.

“I have suffered emotional, psychological, and physical abuse throughout the marriage and continue to endure trauma because my children remain in his custody,” she said.

Petitioner’s Requests from the Court

Mrs. Nwadi is seeking the court’s intervention to dissolve her marriage and grant her custody of the three children. She also requested that the court compel her husband to provide suitable accommodation for her and the children and to continue paying their school fees through university. Additionally, she is seeking N1 million monthly for feeding, medical care, and maintenance of the children.

The petitioner also asked the court to order her husband to return her personal belongings and the items he took from her shop.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the case has been adjourned to November 5 for further mention, as the respondent has yet to appear in court or file a defense. (NAN)

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