Susan Abayomi
The Ebonyi State High Court in Abakaliki has sentenced a 39-year-old man, Chituru Mbam, to six months’ imprisonment for forcibly evicting his wife, Mbam Ozoemena, from their matrimonial home and subsequently destroying the building.
The court, presided over by Justice Ruth Okeh, also ordered Mbam to pay his wife N500,000 in damages and provide her with suitable accommodation.
The couple, who married in 2009, have five children. However, their marriage reportedly experienced difficulties over the years, culminating in the woman’s eviction from their matrimonial home.
According to the report, the incident occurred in the early hours of January 6, 2026, when Mbam allegedly arrived at the house with two men and forcibly removed his wife after moving into a newly completed building.
He subsequently had her arrested by the police and detained at the police headquarters in Abakaliki.
While she was in detention, Mbam allegedly dismantled the building, removing its roof, doors, windows and other valuable items, thereby leaving his wife without a home.
The case attracted the intervention of the Rose Foundation for the Protection of Women and Children, a rights organisation in Ebonyi State.
Through its Executive Secretary, Professor Mike Ajanwachukwu, the organisation petitioned the state Commissioner of Police over the incident, leading to Mbam’s arrest and prosecution.
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Okeh found the defendant guilty and sentenced him to six months in prison without an option of a fine. The court further ordered him to pay N500,000 in damages and secure suitable accommodation for his wife.
Counsel to the woman, Mrs Ijeoma Mike-Ajanwachukwu, welcomed the judgment, stressing that neither spouse has the right to forcibly evict the other from their matrimonial home.
She explained that the defendant’s actions contravened Section 6(1) of the Ebonyi State Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, 2018, which addresses violence within relationships and prohibits the forcible eviction of a spouse.
According to her, the woman was rendered homeless after her husband allegedly used police officers and other individuals to remove her from the property before destroying the building.
The lawyer also alleged that Mbam had moved into another building with a different woman before the incident.
The judgment highlights the legal protections available to spouses against domestic abuse and unlawful eviction, reinforcing the importance of safeguarding the rights and welfare of women within matrimonial relationships.
