A woman and her three young children have reportedly been detained by police in Abuja after she left her marriage, with her family alleging the incident represents an abuse of authority.

The woman, Adaeze Gift Echendu Ike, had travelled from Enugu to Abuja on Wednesday to stay with her cousin after deciding to end her marriage to businessman Chukwudi Christopher Ike. Upon arrival, she was allegedly intercepted by individuals claiming to be Airport Crime Watch operatives, and she recognized a man accompanying them as a friend of her husband.

Eyewitnesses said she was held at the airport from around 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. before being moved to the Airport Police Division. Police reportedly cited a petition from her husband accusing her of stealing $500 and land documents and claiming she intended to travel to the Philippines with their children. Adaeze denied the allegations, insisting she simply wanted to leave the marriage.

Attempts by lawyers to secure her bail were reportedly blocked. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) allegedly told the family that clearance from the Commissioner of Police—a friend of the husband—was required, insisting she must remain in the station.

Her three children, aged five, four, and one year six months, were also reportedly detained, with the youngest falling ill. They were temporarily allowed to leave for medical checks at the Air Force Base Hospital, where doctors stabilized the youngest child’s condition.

Family members described the police action as a weaponization of authority in a private marital dispute, expressing frustration that Adaeze was being held for simply leaving the marriage.

Meanwhile, her husband, Chukwudi Ike, told SaharaReporters he was searching for his wife and children after they left without informing him in the early hours of the morning. He denied abusing her, stating:

“If she wants to leave the marriage because she is no longer in love with me, no problem. But when my wife leaves with the kids without telling me, wouldn’t you try to find them?”

The case raises questions about police involvement in domestic disputes and the rights of individuals seeking to leave marriages in Nigeria.