By Abba Dukawa
The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has vowed to depose any traditional title holder under the emirate council who is found guilty of beating his wife.
Sanusi also called for the urgent review of Section 55 of the Penal Code Law of Nigeria, which permits husbands to “correct” their wives, due to the widespread abuse of this provision, particularly in the northern part of the country.
As outlined in the Penal Code Law, Section 55 allows a husband to “correct” his wife as long as it is by lawful customs and does not result in “grievous hurt.”
The Emir made this statement during the opening of the 2024 National Dialogue on the Role of Islamic Opinion Leaders in the Prevention of Gender-Based Violence in Northern Nigeria at Bayero University on Monday.
The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) referred to a study conducted across nine Shari’a courts in Kano, which found that 45 per cent of the cases involved gender-based violence (GBV).
Sanusi emphasized that the research revealed multiple instances of women suffering broken teeth, damaged jaws, and other severe injuries as a result of domestic violence.
The Emir cited various provisions of Islamic jurisprudence that strictly prohibit violence against women and insisted that the government must criminalize any form of mistreatment within marriages.
“A husband who beats his wife for any reason is behaving in an animalistic manner,” Sanusi said. “If our society reaches a point where men are not restrained from beating their wives, the government must make it a criminal act. It should be banned.
“In the 21st century, if the northern part of the country continues to uphold Section 55 of the Penal Code, which permits a husband to beat his wife, such a provision should be repealed. Nigeria should adopt family laws from Islamic countries that prohibit such actions.”
Sanusi added, “When my daughters are getting married, I always tell their husbands: if you no longer love them, send them back to me—don’t beat them. My traditional title holders also know that if you beat your wife, you will lose your title. At the same time, we must teach our daughters to respect their husbands. Marriage should be based on love, mercy, and mutual respect between husband and wife.”
Dr Taofeek Abubakar Hussein, Director of the Centre for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue at Bayero University, Kano, emphasized that the centre is dedicated to promoting an understanding of the role of Islamic scholars in combating gender-based violence.
Dr Hassan Karofi, Director of Partnership and Strategic Communications at the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) explained that the event was part of the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence in Northern Nigeria.
The event, themed “Islamic Teachings and Community Collaboration for the End of Gender-Based Violence,” aimed to amplify the voices of Islamic opinion leaders in the region to combat gender-based violence, according to Karofi.