Refund my N1.2m bride price before I divorce you, policeman tells wife

A policeman, Anthony Ibemere, has told an Igando Customary Court in Lagos, Lagos State, that his wife should return the N1.2 million bride price if she insisted on divorce.

Thirty-eight-year-old  Anthony was responding to a divorce suit filed by Uloma, his wife of four years, who accused him of  battery.


“Uloma should return the money I gave her parents during our traditional marriage if she insists on the  dissolution of our four-year-old marriage,” he told the court.

He accused his wife of hiding her marital status by telling people  she was single.

“She joined a group of single ladies in her church. I  went  to the church  with our wedding pictures  as a proof  that  she’s  married which  led to her suspension,” he said.

Anthony added that Uloma had abandoned their matrimonial home since November 24, 2012, when he informed the church of her marital status.

He, therefore,  pleaded with the court not to grant his wife’s request of  divorce, saying  he still loves her.

On her part, 27-year-old  Uloma, a factory worker, told the court that  Anthony turned her into a punching bag mostly when he was drunk.

“My husband is a drunkard. Whenever he comes home drunk and wants  to make love to me, I always refuse him. I want him to make love to me when he’s  in his right senses.

“And when  I refuse him, he will make love to me by force,’’ she said.

The petitioner alleged that her husband always embarrassed her in public by calling her ‘a prostitute and  barren tree.’

She also accused him of threatening her life and giving out her phone number to unknown persons, who were always calling and warning her not to proceed with the divorce  suit or else, she would be killed.

She begged the court to separate them, saying she was tired of the marriage.

The case was adjourned till April 16.