He steals my money to buy cigarettes - Woman tells court, granted divorce

Joke, in her divorce petition, revealed to the court that she had been unaware of Atanda's addiction issues before their marriage. She lamented discovering his dependency on drugs and cigarettes only after they were wedded. Despite her efforts to persuade him to change, Atanda persisted in his habits, even resorting to stealing from her to sustain his addiction, she claimed.

“I discovered that he was hooked on drugs and a smoker after we got married. All efforts I made to make him change, he failed. His parents couldn’t stop him from smoking. My husband steals from me to support his habits. He does not provide for me,” Joke explained, as quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

In response, Atanda admitted to being addicted to cigarettes but denied allegations of theft. He blamed his wife for his loss of employment, attributing it to her constant nagging. Nonetheless, he agreed to Joke's request for a divorce.

Presiding over the case, Judge Abdul Qadir Umar emphasized the importance of mutual understanding in marriage, stating that divorce should be allowed when problems persist.

"In a situation where there are problems, divorce should be allowed,” Judge Umar remarked.

Subsequently, Judge Umar dissolved the marriage between Joke and Atanda, ordering that Joke observe a three-month period of Iddah, as dictated in Islam before she can remarry.