What should have been the beginning of a shared life ended in tragedy in Jigawa State, where a newlywed woman is accused of poisoning her husband to death—an incident that has reignited concerns about the hidden dangers of forced marriages.
The disturbing episode occurred on January 23, 2026, around 5:00 p.m. in Gauza village, Jahun Local Government Area. According to the Jigawa State Police Command, the man reportedly ate a meal prepared by his wife at their home before suddenly taking ill. He was rushed to the hospital, but doctors pronounced him dead while treatment was ongoing.
Confirming the incident in Dutse, the state capital, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shi’isu Adam, said detectives from the Jahun Division immediately launched an investigation. Their inquiries led to the arrest of the deceased’s wife as the prime suspect.
During interrogation, police say the woman confessed to lacing her husband’s food with rat poison. She reportedly told investigators that she had asked her cousin to buy the poison for her. More troubling, however, was her explanation for the act: she claimed she had been forced into the marriage by her parents.
The revelation casts a harsh light on the often-silenced issue of forced marriages and the psychological toll they can take. While nothing justifies violence, the case underscores how coercion in marriage can breed desperation, trauma, and catastrophic outcomes for everyone involved.
SP Adam stated that the Jigawa State Commissioner of Police has ordered a thorough investigation by the State Criminal Investigation Department in Dutse. Once investigations are concluded, the suspect will be charged to court.
The police command urged the public to remain calm and law-abiding, stressing that taking the law into one’s own hands only leads to irreversible consequences.
They also called on families and communities to seek lawful and humane ways of resolving marital and domestic disputes.
As the suspect remains in police custody awaiting trial, the tragedy serves as a grim reminder: when consent is stripped from marriage, the consequences can extend far beyond broken homes—sometimes ending in the loss of life itself.
