Kano co-wife arrested after allegedly setting rival, stepchildren ablaze

A 28-year-old mother and her two young children are fighting for their lives in Kano hospitals after her co-wife, Maryam Muhammad, allegedly doused them with petrol and set them on fire following a period of domestic intimidation.

A horrific domestic attack in the Hotoro area of Kano metropolis has left 28-year-old Firdausi Musa and her two young children, Khadija Ya’u, 7, and Ismail Ya’u, 3, with life-threatening burns. The incident occurred late Monday night at the Mai Allo area after the suspect, Maryam Muhammad, allegedly doused the victims with petrol and set them on fire. While the suspect is currently in the custody of the Mariri Police Division, the victims are receiving emergency care at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, and the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital. According to the victim’s brother, Buhari Musa Sa’ad, Firdausi had only been in the matrimonial home for less than two weeks before the tragedy struck.

The attack appears to have followed a series of unresolved domestic disputes and threats. Family members revealed that the children involved were from Firdausi’s previous marriage and were stepchildren to her current husband, a local tricycle rider. A relative identified as Rukayya told Daily Trust that the victim had attempted to flee the house earlier that day due to fear for her safety but was persuaded to return by her husband. Recounting the victim’s own words from her hospital bed, Rukayya stated: “We were lying down here when she was brought in, and she told us herself that it was her co-wife who poured petrol on her and lit a match.”

The Kano State Police Command has yet to issue a formal statement regarding the motive or the specific charges to be filed against the suspect, but the incident has sent shockwaves through the Hotoro community. Relatives confirmed that the victim had frequently complained of intimidation from her co-wife leading up to the assault. As the family seeks justice, Sa’ad lamented the timing of the violence, noting: “She is around 28 years old. The children who got burned are the ones she brought with her from her previous marriage. They are stepchildren to the husband, who works as a tricycle rider.”

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