Second wife wahala

By Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi 

In Birnin-Kebbi, capital of Kebbi State, the tragic news of the death of Magistrate Muhammed Attahiru Ibrahim Zagga, who was allegedly killed by his estranged wife, (name withheld) is sending chills down the spines of many. Zagga, aged 47, was the presiding Magistrate of Magistrate Court II Jega, in the state.

Zagga was hale and happy on the fateful day. He had just completed his Ishai prayers (8: 00pm Salat) when he received a call from his estranged wife, inviting him back home on account that one of their children was sick

Other worshippers who saw him hurrying out of the Mosque were concerned that he was leaving that early. As a tradition, he stayed until about 9.00 pm, before going home. But Magistrate Zagga, as he was called, only replied that he was hurrying out to attend to an “urgent issue.”

He walked straight home. His heart racing in quick beats to reach his house and attend to his sick child. Unknown to him, he was on the path of death as his killer(s) had laid an ambush to end his life. One of his neighbours revealed that soon after the deceased stepped into his compound, they heard an agonizing scream.

They feared it was serious: “Before the gate of the house could be broken to rescue him, his killer(s) had fled, leaving his estranged wife behind.

“We were surprised to see his estranged wife in the compound alone.

How the late Magistrate’s gate was locked when his killers were attacking him is still mysterious to many of us.”

Sources close to the deceased family revealed that the estranged wife might have engaged the killer(s), who stabbed the late magistrate from behind as he entered his compound, then locked the gate to prevent any helper from gaining entrance on time and thereafter, jumped out through the fence before the arrival of the police and neighbours.

The sources added that the magistrate was preparing to remarry a new wife having divorced his estranged wife. This might have provoked her to extreme anger and hate: The estranged wife, even after her divorce, has been raising issues around finance and upkeep of her children, while the late magistrate has been up and doing.”

Investigation indicated that the estranged wife, was the late magistrate’s cousin. In the beginning, both of them were truly in love and had a couple of children before falling out of love.

Prior to their parting of ways, efforts were made to salvage the marriage. A family member told Daily Sun that family members and elders had severally intervened in their quarrels, in many cases, counselling the wife over her ways and encouraging her to turn a new leaf. But these efforts failed.

Police said they had arrested the late Magistrate estranged wife for allegedly killing her former husband, Attahiru Ibrahim, in their Birnin Kebbi house.

Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Nafiu Abubakar, said: “On 25/8/2022 at about 2140hrs, policemen attached to the Divisional Police Headquarters, Gwadangaji, received information that a suspected strange noise was heard from the house of a neighbour, one Attahiru Ibrahim, ‘M’, of Aliero Quarters, Birnin Kebbi and his gate was also locked.

“On receipt of the information, a team of policemen were mobilised to the scene and forced themselves into the house where they found the said Attahiru Ibrahim lying down in pool of his own blood and was later confirmed dead by a medical doctor.

“Similarly, his estranged, wife, was also seen inside the compound.

Hence, she was suspected and arrested in connection with the case.

“Consequently, Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, CP Ahmed Magaji Kontagora, directed the DPO to immediately transfer the case to SCID, Birnin Kebbi, for discreet investigation.”

Birnin Kebbi branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), condemned the murder just as it called for proper protection of other members of the Bench. Its Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Usman in a condolence message said:

“This is to confirm with deepest grief and sympathy that our colleague, Muhammed Attahiru Ibrahim Zagga died on August 25, 2022, at his residence in Aliero Quarters, Birnin Kebbi, after allegedly being stabbed.

“Zagga was the presiding Magistrate at Magistrate Court II Jega. He hailed from Zagga town in Bagudo Local Government. Let us assure the family that we won’t rest till the perpetrators of this dastardly act are brought to justice.

“This ugly incident has underscored the fact that members of the lower bench are vulnerable to attacks that ought not to be. They should be provided with security personnel at their places of work and residences.”