Man ordered to pay N180,000 maintenance arrears to ex-wife

A Grade I Area Court in Abuja on Thursday ordered a generator mechanic, Abdulfatai Adewale to pay his wife, Maryam , N180,000  as maintenance arears. The judge, Ibrahim Rufai also ordered Adewale to give his wife N2,000 daily for maintainance, following the plaintiff’s prayer to the court to grant same. Earlier, the plaintiff told the court that she got married to the respondent under Islamic law in 2021. ” My husband lived in my house after our marriage.  I got a shop for him because he was a generator mechanic. ” Ever since he started his business he has not been able to raise any funds for me to start up my own business, he left the house in June without any concern for me. I spent N200, 000 on the upkeep of our family. ”When I complained, he promised to  rent a place in August for me but did not.He promised to transfer money to me for upkeep but I never heard from him. ” I spend an average of N2,000 daily for my upkeep and my children.  I pray to the court to order him to pay N200,000 to me and take his responsibility as a man,” the plaintiff said. The respondent however said he left his wife and traveled to the village because of her ill-temper. ” We do not have children together but before we got married she told me she had three children but anytime I give her money for feeding, she says it is finished. I never knew that she actually had eight children. ” I agree that I have not been providing for her since June but it is not true that she spent up to N200,000. I am currently indebted due to a bank loan she took in the past that I am paying for. ” I trekked from Phase III, Kubwa to get to the court here in Arab Road. Business has not been good and I cannot afford N200,000,” the respondent said. He however told the court that he can only afford to give his wife N5,000 monthly for maintainance adding that she is aware of his capability.(NAN)