The plaintiff, Rahmat Lawal-Imam, had filed a divorce suit seeking dissolution of her marriage to Baba-Imam Kamaldeen.

Lawal-Imam said she was no longer in love with the defendant and pleaded with the court to dissolve the union.

When asked about the report of the settlement earlier sought for by the defendant's family, Rahmat said : "I have made up my mind and the move has failed. "

The defendant was, however, not in court.

The judge, Ibrahim Umar, held that his absence showed that he had consented to the plaintiff's claims.

"Since he is absent in court today (Friday) after an application to go for settlement, it shows he has agreed that you should go.

"The marriage is hereby dissolved today and the plaintiff is to observe three months 'iddah' (Islamic period of waiting before re-marrying)," he said.

Umar, however, said any aggrieved party could appeal the judgment at the Sharia Court of Appeal, Ilorin, within 30 days.

(NAN)