How Nasarawa Judge allegedly extorted, intimidated woman for refusing to marry HIV positive husband

A woman identified as Maryam Samaila, has accused the sole judge of Grade 1 Sharia Court sitting Keffi, Nasarawa State, Hon S.B. Abdullahi of intimidating and threatening her.

Trouble started when Samaila, who was married to one Umar Akwanga approached the court for dissolution of the marriage, following the failure of the latter to pay her bride price and for testing positive to HIV without disclosing his status to her.

She claimed that after, “consummating for over three months” she discovered that Akwanga was HIV, AIDS positive, a situation that led to her filing for dissolution of the union before the Abdullahi-led court.

The complainant, however admitted that Akwanga paid N10,000 out of the N30,000 fixed as her dowry.

However, when the case came up for hearing, the sole judge asked that the money be withdrawn and deposited at his court “for safe keeping” which was done.

In a petition to the Chief Justice of Nasarawa State which was obtained by DAILY POST, Samaila claimed that a “subsequent,” hearing, she filed for withdrawal of her case and the money.

However, the complainant claimed that the judge, “called her lawyer into his chambers and stated that he has converted the deposited sum and promise to repay the money. As of now, he has not repaid the money.”

She also claimed that her uncle who doubles as her guardian, Shuaibu Ibrahim is “pursuing a criminal case against Akwanga whom has threatened to deal with her uncle for being the one who discovered his status as a carrier of HIV/AIDS.”

Samaila, disclosed that her uncle has been “mounting pressure” on the judge to release the money, a situation that made the judge to resort to intimidation.

She alleged that the judge uses somebody she simply identified as “Sam” to threaten and intimidate her.

The petition reads in part, “The uncle had been mounting pressure on the S. B. Abdullahi to repay the money. The said judge had been calling his lawyer to terminate the case because of that plea to repay the money but the lawyer did succumbed to his threat.

“After 3 adjournment, the presiding judge on the 6/06/2017 invited the parties into his chambers and said the complainant must terminate his case but the complainant insisted on justice must be done.

“The said presiding judge threatened to jail the complainant and subsequently sent him and his lawyer out of the court.

“The complainant finally filed a petition against the conducts of the said S. A. Abdullahi before the Chief Judge of Nasarawa State on 24/07/201.

“The said S. B. Abdullahi on becoming aware of the petition has now resorted to using threat and intimidation of the complainant with arrest and detention with one “Sam” a staff of the Grade 1 Area Court Keffi calling the complainant through a phone line number 08032472012 as the conspirator.

“The judge is well known for this form of extortion, intimidation of both litigants and lawyers, bribery, unconstitutional and unlawful detention amongst other atrocities.”

When DAILY POST reached out to Sam to get his side of the story, he, however, denied knowing Samaila and any knowledge of the matter.

Admitting that he is connected to the judge, Sam said, “yes I know Hon Abdullahi, he is my Oga.”

“I don’t know anybody by that name or the case, however, I know Hon Abdullahi, he is my Oga.”

When DAILY POST further insisted on getting clarification after some explanation, Sam recanted his earlier claim of not having knowledge of the matter.

“I’m aware of the matter but between me and God, I did not see any kobo, in fact the judge, the other day was asking me if any money was deposited and I said it wasn’t, I did not see any kobo,“ he said.