April 10: Today in Nigeria history, 14-year-old Nigerian girl forced into marriage killed husband, three others

FILE - Sani Garba, 55, holds a picture of his then 14-year-old daughter-in-law Wasila Tasi'u, in Unguwar Yansoro, 63 kilometers north of Kano, Nigeria. Charges were dropped against the girl, now 14, who was accused of killing her 35-year-old husband.
  • 14-year-old Nigerian girl killed husband, three others

According to a former American president, Harry Truman (1884 – 1972), the only thing new in the world is the history you do not know.

A society’s history can only be accurately retold by people who actually experienced it. The finest at rewriting our history are Nigerians. For the purpose of education, conscious memory of the past is necessary.

In an effort to increase awareness for educational purpose, WITHIN NIGERIA newspapers highlighted a ‘child marriage‘ tragic incident that shaped the history of this nation, Nigeria.

14-year-old Nigerian girl killed husband, three others

On this day, April 10 in 2014, a 14-year-old girl identified as Wasila Umaru who was forced into marriage killed her husband, a 35-year-old man identified as Umaru Sani, three others with poisoned meal.

Umaru had invited a dozen friends to celebrate in northern Ungwar Yansoro village, near the city of Kano after he exchanged marital vows with his wife.

According to reports, the teenager, Wasila Umaru slipped the deadly chemical into a rice dish which she served to her husband, Sani Umaru and his friends.

Umaru died the same day along with friends Nasiru Mohammed and Alhassan Alhassan, while another female victim, Indo Ibrahim, died in hospital while receiving treatment.

Wasila admitted buying the poison at a local market and putting it into the food.

‘The suspect confessed to committing the crime and said she did it because she was forced to marry a man she did not love,’ Majia, assistant superintendent.

Umaru is cooperating with police and likely will be charged with culpable homicide, according to the police.

Child marriage is common in Nigeria and especially in the mainly Muslim and impoverished north, where the numbers increase in times of drought because a bride price is paid and it means one less mouth to feed.

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Lawal Sodiq Adewale aka CHOCOMILO is an award winning journalist. Mail me at Chocomilo@withinnigeria.com. See full profile on Within Nigeria's TEAM PAGE
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