Woman burns husband, co‑wife and children in Kano

Maryam Muhammad is accused of pouring petrol on her 28‑year‑old co‑wife, Firdausi Musa, and the latter’s two young children, then igniting them in Kano’s Hotoro area.

The attack occurred late Monday night in the Mai Allo neighbourhood of Hotoro, shocking local residents; the suspect is now being held by the Mariri Police Division.

The victims – Khadija Ya’u, 7, and Ismail Ya’u, 3 – are said to be receiving medical care with their mother at the National Orthopaedic Hospital in Dala and at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital in Kano.

Their father, Malam Saminu, who allegedly suffered burns while attempting to rescue them, is also under treatment.

Daily Trust reported that Firdausi’s younger brother, Buhari Musa Sa’ad, said the family received a distress call at about 3 a.m. indicating that his sister, her husband and the two children had been set on fire by the co‑wife.

He added that Firdausi had lived in the marital home for less than two weeks before the incident.

He noted that Firdausi is about 28 years old and that the burned children are from her previous marriage, making them the husband’s step‑children; the husband works as a tricycle rider.

At the time of filing this report, attempts to obtain a comment from the Kano State Police Command had not succeeded.