A 20-year old housewife, Mercy Ekeh, has narrated how her
husband, Kelechi Ekeh, 30, forced her to marry him at the age
of 17 and kept her in captivity by locking her inside their room
apartment for seven months in Egbe, Lagos State, western
Nigeria.
She said she was inside the room until he impregnated her
and thereafter forced her parents to collect N300 as her bride
price.
But her husband said his decision to keep her in the room was
not intended to punish her, saying he was showing her love
and caring because he did not want her to suffer in his home.
Anambra State-born Mercy narrated her plight at Eiigbo
Customary Court, Lagos, where she filed a suit for the
dissolution of the marriage.
She also told the court that during her captivity she was not
allowed to see anybody or her parents.
She said whenever Ekeh went to work, he would lock her
inside and provide a small bucket for her to ease herself inside
the room.
She said she was only allowed to come out in the night briefly
when he returned from work and opened the door and did not
allow her do anything else.
The embittered woman said her ordeal started in 2012 when
she went to sit for Joint Admission and Matriculation
Examination, JAMB.
She said on that Saturday, Ekeh accosted her along Liasu road
in Egbe.
Mercy alleged that Ekeh cast a spell on her after he touched
her and commanded her to go to her parents’ house and bring
her property and come and to live with him.
She said she obeyed without knowing what had come over
her.
She said while she was in Ekeh’s home, her parents searched
everywhere for her and went to the police and reported that
she was missing until one of Ekeh’s neighbours who observed
what was happening told her mom about where she was.
It was then Ekeh was arrested and she regained her freedom
after he impregnated her.
Mercy said Ekeh later went to her parents and pleaded for
forgiveness and it was then, he brought N300 and paid as her
bride price.
She said the incident has traumatized her as Ekeh has ruined
her life, while her mates are in school pursuing their
education.
She asked the court to dissolve the marriage and compel Ekeh
to take care of the baby.
In his response, Ekeh denied all the allegations and told the
court that he does not want the marriage dissolved because
he loves Mercy.
On packing to his house, he said it was a choice Mercy made
before she got pregnant and he had to marry her by paying
her dowry. The president of the court, Mr A.K. Akanni
adjourned the matter till 18 June for continuation of trial.
