FCT: 26 Cases In 6 Months, Divorce Matters Dominate Abuja Court

In the last six months of the year 2022, the Federal Capital Territory Grade One Court, Bwari alone had to preside over at least 26 divorce cases, THE WHISTLER investigation has shown.

The Grade One Court in Bwari, Abuja, has jurisdiction over criminal and civil matters in the area.

Bwari is one of the six area councils of FCT.

Our correspondent who visited the court on Wednesday was told by Halilu Balarabe, Registrar of the court that under the civil matters category, divorce applications were more than other suits filed at the court.

As seen by our correspondent, at the Registry, from June 2022 to mid January 2023, about 26 divorce applications were filed by residents while other civil matters were around 5.

The divorce suits all bordered on lack of money for maintenance of the home (food and health), disrespect to parents of applicant and domestic violence.

For instance, in one of the divorce petitions for January this year, Fatima Mustapha asked the court to dissolve her marriage to Alhaji Jibrin Adamu over “lack of cohabitation and disrespect to my parents.”

In August 2022, Shamsiyya Ismail sought for divorce against Nura A. over “abuse of reputation.”

In September 2022, Akpala A. asked for dissolution of her marital union over alleged domestic violence.

Our correspondent learned that while judgement was delivered in favor of one or both parties in 2022, the rest where struck out by the court.

An official within the court who chose not to be named, told our correspondent that lack of patience was partly responsible for some of the divorce cases.