The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested five youths in connection with an alleged illegal marriage ceremony conducted without the consent or knowledge of the parents of those involved.
The Deputy Commander General of the Board, Dr. Mujahideen Aminuddeen, disclosed this to journalists in Kano, saying the incident occurred in the Rimin Kebe area of Nasarawa Local Government Area.
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According to him, those apprehended include the purported groom and bride, alongside three others who acted as representatives and a witness during the ceremony.
Dr. Aminuddeen explained that the marriage was allegedly contracted with a dowry of ₦10,000, far below the minimum threshold (nisab) recognized under Islamic legal standards.
He said the union was arranged and executed exclusively by the five suspects, without any formal parental consent or guardianship, both of which are essential requirements in Islamic marriage rites.
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The arrested individuals were identified as:
Aminu, 23 years – alleged groom
Sadiya, 22 years – alleged bride
Umar, 24 years – claimed representative of the groom
Abubakar, 23 years – claimed representative of the bride
Usaina, 21 years – alleged witness
Dr. Aminuddeen emphasized that the act was carried out in secrecy, without credible witnesses or religious authorities, and therefore violated both Islamic and legal marital procedures.
“This act was carried out in secrecy and failed to meet the basic requirements of an Islamic marriage. There was no wali (guardian), no proper witnesses, and no adequate dowry,” he said.
He added that the Hisbah Board has launched a full investigation to determine the extent of the incident and ensure appropriate legal and corrective actions are taken.
Dr. Aminuddeen also appealed to parents and guardians to be more vigilant in monitoring their children’s social interactions and ensure that any prospective suitor is properly verified before marriage consent is granted.
“We are also inviting the parents of all involved parties to counsel them and bring resolution to this unfortunate situation,” he added.