An 18-year-old bride, Saudat Jibril, has been arrested in the Farawa area of Kano State for allegedly slitting the throat of her husband, just nine days after their wedding.
The victim, 30-year-old Salisu Idris, was reportedly attacked with a sharp knife in their home.
Police say the motive behind the act is still unclear.
Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Kano State Police Command, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said: “Upon receiving the report, the Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, swiftly deployed a team of detectives to the scene.
“The victim was rushed to Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, where he was confirmed dead by medical personnel. The suspect has been apprehended and is currently in custody at the Command’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Homicide Section and will be charged in court for the offence of culpable homicide.”
The police have assured the public that a full investigation is underway. “The Commissioner of Police cautions that the Command will not tolerate any form of violence or criminality in the State and assures the public of its commitment to conducting thorough investigations to ensure justice is served,” Kiyawa added.
The command also urged residents to remain alert and report any suspicious behaviour to the nearest police station or via their emergency lines.
This incident brings back memories of a similar case in 2014 involving Rahma Hussein, a 16-year-old girl who fatally stabbed her husband just days into their marriage in Darmanawa, Tarauni Local Government Area. She was convicted for murder but later granted pardon after serving seven years in prison.
While Saudat Jibril remains in custody, many in the state and across Nigeria are asking hard questions about what is going wrong behind closed doors in some of these rushed young marriages.
