British Woman Says Nigerian Husband Vanished, Leaving Her Divorce in Limbo

(Bright Emokpae And Dawn Otewell. Photo by Gistlover)

A British woman has told how her Nigerian husband disappeared after they separated, leaving her unable to finalise their divorce and worried about her children's future.

Dawn Otewell, 68, from West Yorkshire, met Bright Emokpae on dating apps in 2021.

He told her his name was Brian Thomas and said he was a professional in his 30s, but later admitted he was actually a fashion student in his mid-20s from Nigeria.

Despite the lies, Dawn fell for him.

They had regular video calls and eventually married at a registry office in Cyprus in March 2022.

Bright returned to Nigeria to apply for a UK spouse visa.

When it was approved about a year later, Dawn picked him up from Heathrow, but things went downhill quickly.

She said he became withdrawn, constantly asked her for money, refused to pay household bills and regularly sent funds back to Nigeria.

They split in October 2023 but got back together six months later after Dawn received a large compensation payment for a failed medical procedure.

But shortly after she returned from a Caribbean holiday with her brother just before Christmas 2024, he left and hasn't come back.

Dawn hasn't heard from him in eight months after he blocked her on social media.

She thinks he may have moved to Scotland and is running an online clothing business.

She suspects he left because he wants to keep his spouse visa and won't sign the divorce papers.

The problem is she has no will.

If she dies before the divorce is finished, Bright could claim her things.

She's getting help from a citizens advice service to find him and serve him the divorce papers.

She said she feels used by someone who came to the UK under false pretences.