Bride in police net over groom’s murder

Written by Isa Sa’idu, Kaduna Saturday, 03 March 2012 05:00


A newlywed bride is in police custody in Kaduna over the murder of her groom by persons suspected to be hired assassins.
Malam Abdullahi S. Abba, 37, retired to bed on the night of Monday, February, 27, 2012, hale and hearty. Unknown to him and other members of his family, however, death was lurking. He was killed in mysterious circumstances by people suspected to be hired assassins during the early hours of Tuesday, February, 28.

Abba got married on Saturday, 18th February, 2012. Exactly nine days after the marriage, some yet-to-be identified people traced him to his Kakieye residence, stabbed him severally and assaulted him with clubs, leading to his death. Weekly Trust gathered from residents of Kakieye, including two of Abba’s younger brothers, Sale and Umar, that he was killed when he went out of his house to answer knocks on his gate.

When Weekly Trust visited Kakieye town, younger brother of the late groom, Mallam Sale S. Abba, recounted how the incident happened. “It is only investigation that would reveal the circumstances that led to the demise of my brother,” Sale said, “but we have begun to get some clues from those who heard when my brother was being killed. It is true that my brother only got married to his bride, Hajara, 13 days ago. It is also true that Hajara was against the marriage. My deceased brother doesn’t know that she was against the idea of marrying him. We came to know this after his demise, that her family forced her into the marriage.”

Sale continued: “Apart from that, some youths of the area who heard his wailing while he was being killed, said they overheard a female voice querying the killers, asking ‘I didn’t ask you to kill him, I only asked you to deal with him.’ One of the courageous youths that came out from his room, Suleiman Nuhu, said he saw a lady in a veil coming back from the scene of the murder and he flashed her with his torchlight and even asked her what she was doing outside at that time of the night. According to him, the lady said she was looking for her husband. Nuhu was invited by the police and he gave that statement.”

Sale said the corpse of his brother was found by the side of an electric pole, close to a neighbour’s gate. The corpse had several cuts, he said. “From what we gathered, there were knocks on his gate and he went out but never returned. The bride confirmed this, saying they were together when he went out. She also confirmed that she heard his wailing but she thought that it was a dog so therefore she did not bother.”

Our investigation revealed that Hajara, 18, has told the police, in her statement that she actually went out to look for her husband when he did not return. But she told the police that she has nothing to do with the murder of her husband. Hajara’s father, Mallam Danlami Muhammad, lives near Shika Dam, Zaria. He said he would allow investigation to reveal the innocence of his daughter. “But if she is guilty of murder, I am ready to accept whatever decision that the law takes. If she the court says she should be killed, I don’t even want to see her corpse,” Malam Muhammad said.

Our checks revealed that during the 9 days that Hajara spent in her matrimonial home, she had quarrelled with her husband about six times. One Sha’aibu Muhammad, who is married to Hajara’s elder sister, was said to have mediated in the quarrel about five times, while his wife, Hajara’s sister, anchored the last reconciliation meeting on the night of Monday, February 27.

Hajara, according to our findings, has severally told the mediators that she married her late husband against her wishes. However, Hajara has told the police that she is in love with her husband and his murder has nothing to do with their relationship as husband and wife.

Spokesperson of Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Aminu Lawal, confirmed the incident, saying that the police are investigating the circumstances that led to the murder. Hajara is right now at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Kaduna State Police Command after she was transferred from the Tudun Wada Zaria police division, where she was questioned, initially. Until the police are through with their investigation, the murder of Abba and those behind it will continue to garner speculations.

Incredible