By Sabiu Abdullahi
A 28-year-old woman, Firdausi Musa, and her two children suffered severe burns after her co-wife, Maryam Muhammad, allegedly poured petrol on them and set them on fire in the Hotoro area of Kano metropolis.
The incident happened late on Monday night in the Mai Allo area of Hotoro quarters. Residents were thrown into shock following the attack, while the suspect is currently in police custody at the Mariri Police Division.
The victims include Firdausi Musa, her two children—Khadija Ya’u, 7, and Ismail Ya’u, 3—and their father, Malam Saminu. All are receiving medical attention at different health facilities in Kano. The children are being treated at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala, while their mother is receiving care at the Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital. Their father also sustained burns while attempting to rescue them.
A younger brother to Firdausi, Buhari Musa Sa’ad, told newsmen that the family received a distress call around 3am informing them of the attack.
He said, “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.”
A relative of the victim, Rukayya, said the co-wife had earlier issued threats before the incident occurred. She also said Firdausi directly named the attacker while receiving treatment.
“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,” she said.
Rukayya further explained that Firdausi had earlier left the house due to repeated threats but later returned after intervention from her husband.
The Kano State Police Command had not issued an official statement on the incident at the time of filing this report.
