Babagana Zulum, Borno State governor, has raised the alarm over the growing cases of polygamy in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, where individuals are taking multiple wives despite lacking the means to care for their families adequately.
In a viral video, Zulum revealed that in one of the camps, a man he knows arrived with one wife in 2012 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,” he said.
The governor criticised politicians and religious leaders for failing to address the issue, citing fear of losing public support. “The question is, which Islamic teacher has spoken out against this? Which member has kicked against this situation?” he asked, adding that many avoid the topic to protect their political interests.
Zulum referenced the former Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, who faced public backlash when he spoke out against unsustainable polygamy. He also reminded clerics and the public of Islamic teachings, noting that the Qur’an advises against marrying multiple wives without adequate resources to support them. He further called on clerics, parents, and the government to collectively tackle social issues such as street begging and polygamy.
“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 urged.
