A 44-year-old woman, Zainab Isah, has appealed for help at a Shari’a Court in Magajin Gari, Kaduna, saying she has no place to stay following the breakdown of her marriage.
Speaking before the court, she said she was married to her husband, Alhaji Abdulhamid, at the age of 14 and had spent about 30 years in the union, during which they had 10 children.
Isah told the court that her husband ended the marriage on Jan. 1 and that she was still observing the required waiting period (Iddah) under Islamic law.
She explained that although she had coexisted peacefully with her co-wives, she could not leave her children behind, noting that three of them were currently ill.
Counsel to the husband, Abdulrashid Musa, urged the court to order her to vacate the residence, arguing that the marriage had already been dissolved through two divorce pronouncements, the first of which was made on Dec. 29, 2025. He maintained that she had completed her waiting period and accused her of causing tension in the household.
However, the husband indicated his willingness to support her with rent once she secures alternative accommodation for herself and the children.
In his ruling, the presiding judge, Malam Mu’awiya Shehu, stated that under Islamic law, a husband’s obligation to provide shelter and maintenance to a wife ends after divorce, though responsibility for the children remains.
The court adjourned the case until June 1 to allow the woman time to find a new place to live with her children and update the court on her situation.