New Twist as Kano Governor’s Wife Divorce Saga Sparks Arrests

• Zainab, niece of ex-Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, filed a divorce suit against Governor Abba Yusuf at an Upper Area Court in Abuja
• Three security personnel attached to Zainab were reportedly arrested after she moved out of the governor's residence about three weeks ago
• A member of the Kwankwasiyya Movement confirmed Yusuf has been summoned to appear in court later in November

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs and governance in Nigeria and Africa.

Kano, Kano State - Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf is facing a divorce suit filed by his wife, Zainab, before an Upper Area Court in Gudu, Abuja, with the case registered as CV/97/26. The proceedings come roughly two decades after the couple wed, and three security officers attached to Zainab have reportedly been arrested following her departure from the governor's residence.

Per The Punch, a source within the Kwankwasiyya Movement, the political group loyal to Zainab's father and former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, confirmed the court action to journalists.

The source said Yusuf had been summoned to appear before the court on Tuesday, November 17, and that Zainab had moved out of his residence about three weeks before the news broke.

"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 source added that Zainab had been living primarily in Abuja, visiting Kano only occasionally, before she ultimately left the marital home.

Kano: Arrests and official silence

When asked about the reported arrest of three security personnel attached to the governor's wife, the same Kwankwasiyya source said he was aware of the development, though the exact circumstances surrounding the arrests could not be independently confirmed.

The Kano State Police Command's Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Kiyawa, declined to offer any details, citing the ongoing court matter.

"We cannot comment on the issue because it is already before a court of law," Kiyawa said, adding that the command does not publicly discuss cases pending before the courts.

The state government's position remains unclear. The Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Waiya, did not respond to calls seeking a reaction.

Yusuf, Kwankwaso's rift deepens amid divorce case

The divorce proceedings unfold against the backdrop of a deepening political falling-out between Yusuf and his former mentor, Kwankwaso.

The two men, once close allies, became estranged after Yusuf defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Zainab, as the niece of Senator Kwankwaso, sits at the centre of that fractured relationship.

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Court rules on threat to leak governor's videos

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja struck out a cybercriminal case brought by the Department of State Services (DSS) against Sanusi Dankaka, a man accused of threatening to release explicit videos of Governor Yusuf on Facebook.

Justice Salim Ibrahim ordered the case struck out after the prosecution lawyer, A.Y. Afegbua, applied to withdraw the charge. Dankaka's counsel, Kauna Penzin, did not oppose the application, and the judge delivered a brief ruling ending the matter.