A 74-year-old man, Abdulrahman Kwamande, on Tuesday prayed a Makurdi Court to dissolve the marriage between his daughter, Halima, and Aminu Sulaiman.
In his application, Kwamande averred that he was the biological father of Halima and consequently her ‘Waliyi, (guardian), whose consent must be sought and obtained before any marriage can be contracted with her.
“I am not aware of any such marriage between my daughter and the respondent. I do not approve of this neither did I mandate anybody to act as a ‘Waliyi’ to Halima.
“I insist that any marriage purportedly entered into between the respondent and my daughter is unlawful under Islamic law.
“The respondent abducted my daughter,” he alleged.
He said that Halima was sponsored to study nursing at the Maryam Abacha University in Maradi, Niger Republic, by her Uncle, so that upon her graduation, she will manage the Health Centre established for the well-being of the family.
The petitioner further stated that in December, 2020, Sulaiman delegated four persons, to seek for permission to court Halima and same was granted pending a background check on the personality of the respondent.
“Sometime in 2021, I discovered that the respondent took his children from his divorced wife and moved Halima into his house in Vandeikya LGA of Benue.
“I protested, asking the respondent to take his children away and allow my daughter to concentrate on her studies.
“After carrying out a background check on the respondent, I and my family were not comfortable with his personality because we discovered that his first marriage collapsed due to domestic violence.
“The conduct of Sulaiman made it impossible for my daughter to undergo the mandatory training in any approved nursing institution as well as the mandatory NYSC programme.
“That to my shock, one of his sons informed me that he saw an invitation letter which trended online, showing that the respondent had gotten married to Halima on July 30,” he said.
He also argued that the action of the respondent to abduct his daughter, cohabit with her and purportedly declare her as his wife without his consent as her biological father was against Shariah.
However, when the case came up for mention, Sulaiman denied all the allegations.
The Magistrate, Abdullahi Ibrahim, adjourned the case until October 18 for hearing. (NAN)
