I Was Locked In A Room For 7 Months & Forced To Marry Him: Wife Tells Judge

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.