Emir Sanusi Issues Strong Warning, Speaks on 'Tough' Punishment for Wife Beaters
- Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II condemned gender-based violence and called for harsher punishment for men who assault their wives, saying such acts violate Islamic teachings
- He urged the revival of Kano state’s Family Law draft and cited Islamic legal texts as sufficient for addressing domestic violence if properly codified and enforced
- Sanusi warned traditional leaders that any titleholder found guilty of domestic violence would lose their title, stressing the alarming rate of GBV in Kano’s Shari’a courts
Kano, Kano state - The Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, has issued a stern warning against gender-based violence (GBV).
The northern monarch also called for stricter punishment for men who assault their wives.
Source: Twitter
Speaking at his palace on Monday, July 21, the Emir declared that no true Muslim should ever resort to beating a woman, describing such behaviour as contrary to Islamic teachings.
Islam honours women, not abuse, says Sanusi
While receiving a delegation from the Development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) and the Bayero University Centre for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID), Sanusi expressed concern over the growing rate of assault and domestic violence in Kano state.
Sanusi stated:
“I have never supported beating women. Those who engage in such acts do not do so with the intention of reforming them. What we are seeing today are violent assaults that leave women seriously injured.”
The Emir, known for his progressive stance on social justice issues, emphasised that Islam protects the rights and dignity of women.
He condemned the misuse of religion to justify domestic abuse, noting that such interpretations stem from ignorance, not faith.
“Anyone who beats or injures his wife is not a good person. This is not my opinion, it is the teaching of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). It is those who do not seek knowledge who fail to understand this,” he said.
Emir Sanusi calls for revival of Kano’s family law draft
Sanusi urged the Kano state Government and stakeholders to revisit the state’s Family Law draft, saying it offers solutions to many GBV-related issues, Vanguard reported.
He pointed out that Islamic legal texts already provide adequate guidance for family matters; what remains is their proper codification and implementation, Punch reported.
“Islamic law has the answers. What we need to do is to compile and formalise them so they can be enforced,” he added.
Emir Sanusi: Study finds high GBV rate
Citing findings from his doctoral research on the codification of Islamic family law, Sanusi revealed that he monitored nine Shari’a courts in Kano over five years and discovered a disturbingly high number of GBV cases.
“The situation is dire. This is why initiatives like this are critical and timely," Sanusi stated.
Kano traditional titleholders warned of GBV
Source: Getty Images
In a strong message to traditional leaders under his jurisdiction, Sanusi declared that any titleholder found guilty of assaulting his wife would face serious consequences, including removal from office.
“I have informed all my district and village heads that anyone found guilty of beating his wife risks losing his title,” he warned.
CSOs raise alarm over rising GBV cases
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that as part of the global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign, FAME Foundation raised urgent concerns about the increasing cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in Nigeria and called for immediate action from the government to protect women and girls.
The campaign, running from November 25th (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10th (Human Rights Day), highlights the need for collective action to address GBV.
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Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
