Three security personnel attached to Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf’s wife, Zainab, have reportedly been arrested amid the ongoing marital crisis between the couple.
The arrests reportedly followed Zainab’s departure from the governor’s residence as tensions surrounding their marriage escalated into a divorce proceeding before an Upper Area Court in Gudu, Abuja.
Zainab, daughter of former Kano State Governor and Yusuf’s estranged political ally, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, reportedly instituted the divorce suit, registered as CV/97/26, approximately 20 years after her marriage to the governor.
DAILY GAZETTE reports that a member of the Kwankwasiyya Movement confirmed the development, disclosing that Yusuf had been summoned to appear before the court on Tuesday, November 17.
The source also revealed that Zainab had moved out of her husband’s residence about three weeks earlier.
“Yes, it is true. The woman has moved out of her husband’s house and the governor has been asked to appear before the court on November 17. The reason for her divorce is known to her; I don’t want to insinuate,” the source said.
The Kwankwasiyya chieftain, who confirmed being aware of the reported arrests, however, did not provide further details about the circumstances surrounding the detention of the security personnel.
DAILY GAZETTE could not independently establish the arrests or the events that led to them.
When contacted, the Kano State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Kiyawa, declined to comment, citing the fact that the matter was already before a court.
“We cannot comment on the issue because it is already before a court of law,” he said.
Kiyawa added that the command, as a responsible institution, would not discuss matters pending before the judiciary.
Efforts to obtain the state government’s position were unsuccessful, as the Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Waiya, reportedly failed to respond to calls seeking his reaction.
The marital dispute is unfolding against the backdrop of a political fallout between Yusuf and Kwankwaso following the governor’s defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
