Newlywed kills husband with rat poison in Jigawa

The suspect reportedly cited her dissatisfaction with the union as the motive for her actions, claiming she had been coerced into the marriage against her will.

The Jigawa State Police Command has taken a newlywed woman into custody over her husband’s death after consuming a meal she had prepared.

The command’s spokesperson, Lawan Adam, confirmed the incident in a statement. He stated that the deceased fell ill shortly after eating lunch at their residence in Gauza village in the Jahun Local Government Area, on Friday.

According to the police, the husband was rushed to a nearby hospital as his condition deteriorated, but he died while receiving treatment.

Following the death, detectives from the Jahun Division launched an immediate investigation, which led to the arrest of the wife as the primary suspect.

The suspect allegedly admitted to the crime, detailing how she orchestrated the poisoning.

“During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to poisoning her husband’s food with rat poison. She further revealed that she sent her cousin to purchase the rat poison used in committing the act,” Mr Adam stated.

The suspect reportedly cited her dissatisfaction with the union as the motive for her actions, claiming she had been coerced into the marriage against her will.

“The suspect also stated that she was forced into the marriage by her parents, a situation she claimed led to her actions,” the police spokesperson added.

The statement further detailed the sequence of events leading to the husband’s passing.

“Preliminary investigation revealed that the deceased reportedly took his lunch at home, after which he fell seriously ill and was rushed to the hospital for medical attention. Sadly, he was pronounced dead while receiving treatment.”

The Commissioner of Police has since ordered a comprehensive investigation into the matter. The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Dutse.

“The Commissioner of Police has directed that the case be thoroughly investigated at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Dutse, after which the suspect will be charged in court for prosecution,” the statement concluded.

The police did not release the names or ages of the deceased or the suspect.

In January last year, PREMIUM TIMES reported a similar incident in which a 34-year-old man narrated how he escaped death, but his friend died after his 14-year-old bride poisoned their food two days after his wedding.

Kamisu Haruna, 34, told PREMIUM TIMES that the incident occurred on 22 December 2023 at his residence in Albasu village in the same Jahun Local Government Area of the state where the latest incident happened.