An estranged housewife, Mrs. Titi Jamil, has accused her, husband, Ahmed Jamil, of kidnapping their son and collecting N51 million as ransom.
Titi, who appeared before an Ikeja Customary court, on Monday, pleaded for the dissolution of her marriage on the grounds that it lacked love and that her husband, whom she allegedly paid N1 million monthly salary, was only after her money.
She maintained that her husband sold their house in London for N68 million without giving her or either of their two children part of the money.
Narrating that she met her husband in London, Titi told the court that the couple had a traditional marriage and that her husband, who was absent in court, converted her from Islam to Christianity.
Describing her husband as prayerful and caring in the early period of the marriage, Titi said Ahmad later turned vicious, beating her during pregnancy even as he stopped praying.
She said, “The only reason why he married me was because of my father’s money. He was God-fearing when I met him. We never missed devotional hours. But after our marriage, he showed his true colour as he stopped praying and began to beat me even during pregnancy.
“Ahmad kidnapped my son and asked for a ransom of 210,000 pounds after I left his house with my children.
My elder sister paid the money into his mother’s account in London and he released my son to me after his mother confirmed to him that the money had been paid.
The bailiff told the court that all efforts to reach Ahmad proved abortive, saying his ferocious dogs scared visitors to his residence.
Court president, Mr. Ayo Ipaye, noted that the respondent has not showed up in court since the case began.
Ipaye said that since the petitioner has given evidence before the court and the respondent has refused to show up – “it is only right to give judgment.”
He ordered the dissolution of the marriage and granted custody of the children to their mother.