
Bauchi Commissioner rescues daughter from housemaid fate,cites islamic law, court rulings
By Ahmed Ahmed
Bauchi State Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Abdulrazak Nuhu Zaki, has revealed that he took custody of his 9-year-old daughter, Zainab Nuhu Zaki, to save her from being a housemaid to her grandmother, Hajiya Hari Manu Soro.
Zaki stated this in an interview with newsmen on Sunday at his resident in Bauchi
He said he wants to provide his daughter with education and take responsibility for her health, morality, and well-being.
Zaki obtained favorable court rulings from three different courts granting him custody of his daughter.
“I want to take responsibility for my daughter’s health, morality, education, and well-being, and ensure she remains with her siblings.
“After we separated with her mother, Iklima Manu Soro, who is now married in Kaduna,” he
Zaki vowed to protect his children legally and religiously, urging his former in-laws to stop pursuing what he termed a baseless case.
The commissioner’s actions were reportedly in response to his ex-wife, Iklima Manu Soro, who is married in Kaduna, and her family’s attempts to keep Zainab as a housemaid.
Islamic Cleric, Sheik Saidu Dahiru, supported Zaki’s actions, citing Islamic law, which prioritizes the child’s best interests and the parents’ circumstances.
He noted that the father’s custody may be considered more suitable for the child’s well-being in cases where the mother is married to another man and lives in a different city or town.
Explaining that Islamic law prioritizes the mother’s custody of young children, especially daughters, until they reach puberty (around 9-12 years old).
“However, in cases where the mother is married to another man and lives in a different city or town, the father’s custody may be considered more suitable for the child’s well-being.
The cleric emphasized that Islamic scholars consider factors such as the child’s age, health, and emotional well-being,
“As well as the parents’ financial ability, moral character, and ability to provide a stable environment, when determining custody,” Dahiru