A 47-year-old man, Johnson Gabriel, on Wednesday sought the dissolution of his 20-year-old marriage to his wife, Ms Janet, before a Kaduna Customary Court over a threat to his life.

“My ill-tempered wife beats me whenever we have a misunderstanding,” the petitioner, who resides in Sabon Tasha, Kaduna, made the allegations in a divorce suit.

“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.

He said that family members and their children had intervened in the matter, but she refused to change.

“I am tired of the constant abuse and threat to life; I want a divorce,” he added.

Ms Janet, who was present in court, denied the allegations.

“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, advised the couple to reconcile, especially for the sake of their children.

Mr Bala adjourned the matter until September 20 for a report of settlement or for hearing.

(NAN)