Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, the Borno State governor, has raised concerns about the increasing prevalence of polygamy in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps across the state.
In a viral video, he disclosed that in one of the IDP camps in the state, there is one person he personally knows who arrived there in 2012 with one wife but now has four wives.
“In one of the IDP camps here in Borno State, there is one person I know that came with just one wife into the camp in 2012 but now has four wives. He added three more wives inside the IDP camp,” the governor said.
Criticising the lack of action by religious leaders and politicians, he added: “He can’t feed. But which cleric is speaking against it in their sermons or which politician speaks against it? They will say if we speak against them, they will not vote for us. What if they don’t vote for you?”
“There was a time when the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi spoke about it. There was no kind of insult that Nigerians didn’t rain on him,” he remarked.
Citing the Qur’an, the governor said, “God speaks about marrying in the holy Qur’an that if you don’t have resources, you shouldn’t do what, marry many wives.”
He urged clerics, parents, and the government to work together in addressing social issues, particularly street begging.
“Let clerics come up with ideas, and strategies on how to reduce street begging in the state. Let the parents amend their ways, clerics should preach, and the government will also do our best,” he concluded.
