We started dating two years ago, says groom ‘poisoned’ by 14-year-old bride in Jigawa

Khamis Haruna, the groom hospitalised after eating poisoned food allegedly made by his bride, says he and the 14-year-old had been in a relationship for two years.

Haruna, 29, said he thought the teenager loved him wholeheartedly.

In an interview with The Nation, Haruna said the food poisoning incident happened on Sunday, December 22, 2024, two days after they got married in Jigawa.

“We were married on Friday and the ceremony continued till Sunday when the bride came into my house as the last phase of the ceremony,” he said.

“At about 10 pm on that day, my two friends urged me to go into her room, but I said no, because some of the women that escorted her to the house had not left.

“So we were in my tailoring shop when some of the bride’s friends came and told us that we should come in to eat, but I told them we were not yet ready.

“Later, they came back with the food, which was jollof spaghetti, and left.”

The groom said he was working on his sewing machine when the food was presented to him and his two friends —Muhammad Alfah and Isyaku Adamu

He said they had taken a few spoons when they noticed a harmful substance in the meal.

“Noticing that, we became suspicious and stopped eating. We all became uncomfortable and scared,” he said.

“A few minutes later, Alfah started complaining about his stomach. He stood up to leave but he could not control himself, so we took him to a friend’s house which was closer.

“By the time we got inside, all of us had started feeling the same. We were given milk but we felt no relief as the situation worsened.

“We were then rushed to Jahun Hospital where Alfah died while Isyaku and I were rescued.”

The groom alleged that the bride was given the poison by her ex-lover, who asked her to put it in the food.

“We were married for love. She loved me. I loved her too. Since she was still a small girl, we were in love for two years before our marriage,” he said.

“We saw her in a neighbouring village, Bakata, also in Kiyawa Local Government Area, and approached her almost two years ago.

“We continued dating until she reached 14 years and I made arrangements for marriage.

“I’m really surprised. We were married for love. She never showed any worries about our relationship and never displayed any sign of ill feeling before she carried out the evil act.”

CHILD’S RIGHT ACT

The Child’s Right Act 2003 prohibits child marriage for persons under the age of 18 years.

Section 21 of the act states that “no person under the age of 18 years is capable of contracting a valid marriage, and accordingly a marriage so contracted is null and void and of no effect whatsoever”.

The legislation was enacted to guarantee that the “best interest of a child is of paramount consideration in all actions”.

Most states have domesticated the legislation with different variations and adjustments.

For instance, when the legislation was enacted in Jigawa, the state lawmakers expunged the provision of section 21 of the act that prohibits child marriage.

The lawmakers had said it was difficult to determine the maturity age of a girl.

Despite the legislation prohibiting child marriage, the trend is still prevalent in many Nigerian communities, especially in northern Nigeria.