My husband turned our home into a boxing arena. He punched me regularly and made my life bitter.

“He deserted me after he removed almost all my teeth with his punches and got married to another woman.”

These, among others, were the evidence given by a woman, Mutiya Sulaimon, against her husband, Aliu Sulaimon, whom she accused of irresponsibility, neglect and constant battery.

Mutiya sought divorce and custody of their children in a case she brought before Grade A Customary Court, Oja Oba, Ibadan, Oyo State.

She begged the court to make her husband responsible for the upkeep of their children, giving feeding, education and health care priority.

Aliu pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him.

Mutiya said: “My lord, I never enjoyed a moment of my marriage to my husband.

“He never showed me love or attention. We were always at loggerheads and would end up fighting.

“Aliu would sometimes fight and tear my clothes in public, not caring that people were watching.

“He once beat me to a pulp on the street and pulled off my teeth with his deadly blows.

“Blood gushed out of my mouth as my teeth flew out and I cried out in pain.

“I moved to my parents’ house after he beat and almost killed me.

“My husband refused that I returned to his house after our differences were resolved.

“He distanced himself from everything that has to do with me and our children in other that he might escape the financial demands of our upkeep.

“Aliu got married to another woman after leaving me almost totally toothless.

“He completely abandoned his duty towards our children the moment he took another wife.

“He consistently neglected our children’s education while my parents have been helpful all the way. They have been partly responsible for our children’s feeding and education.

“I got fed up with his lackadaisical attitude towards our children’s welfare and demanded that he should be up to his responsibility.

“My husband started giving our children who are presently teenagers N150 each for food per day, and the youngest, N100.

“Our first child is through with secondary school education and wants to further his education, but my husband has refused to be forthcoming which is one of the reasons I came to court.

“I pray the court to dissolve our union and grant me custody of our children.

“I further plead that my husband be made responsible for our children’s welfare.

“I pray the court to mandate him to give our children a reasonable feeding allowance every month and pay their school fees as and when due.”

The court president, Mrs. S.M Akintayo, adjourned the case.