A married woman, Zainab Alhassan, has dissolved her marriage to her husband, Tijjani Muhammad, after he allegedly refused to repair her damaged mobile phone worth ₦70,000.
The case, heard before Judge Mu’awiyya Shehu, saw Mrs Alhassan insist she was no longer interested in continuing the union and opted for Khul’i — a form of divorce in Islamic law where the wife returns the dowry to her husband in exchange for her freedom.
In her testimony, the woman explained that the disagreement began while she was watching a movie on her phone. She alleged that her husband became enraged, seized the phone and smashed it beyond repair.
“I am ready to refund the ₦30,000 dowry he paid so that I can regain my peace,” she told the court, adding that she had no witness to support her claims.
Mr Muhammad, however, denied destroying the phone but said he had no objection to the divorce request.
After hearing both parties, the judge granted the dissolution of the marriage through Khul’i, ruling that Mrs Alhassan’s plea for the repair of the damaged phone could not be entertained since the separation had been mutually agreed upon.
The incident has since stirred conversations among the public about how technology and domestic misunderstandings are increasingly influencing marital relationships in Nigeria.
