Tragedy struck a quiet community in Gauza village, Jahun Local Government Area of Jigawa State, on Friday afternoon, 23 January 2026, when a newly married man reportedly died after consuming a meal laced with rat poison, the State Police Command has confirmed.

According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Superintendent Shi’isu Lawan Adam, the victim fell seriously ill shortly after taking his lunch at home around 5:00 p.m. and was later rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention. He was pronounced dead while undergoing treatment, the police said.

Prompted by the sudden collapse and subsequent death, detectives from the Jahun Division launched an investigation that led to the arrest of the deceased’s wife as the principal suspect in the case.

During interrogation, the suspect allegedly confessed to deliberately poisoning her husband’s food with rat poison, the police spokesman disclosed. She reportedly admitted that she had sent her cousin to purchase the toxic substance used in the act.

In her statement to investigators, the woman claimed that she was forced into the marriage by her parents, a situation she described as the motivation behind her drastic action.

Police Response and Next Steps

The Commissioner of Police in Jigawa State has directed that the matter be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Dutse for an in-depth probe, the PPRO said.

Upon conclusion of the forensic and investigative processes, the suspect will be charged to court for prosecution under applicable Nigerian laws.

Police urged residents to remain calm, law‑abiding and to seek peaceful, lawful mechanisms to resolve family or marital disputes, while warning against taking the law into one’s own hands, noting that such responses could have irreversible consequences.

The Jigawa State Police Command assured the public of its unwavering commitment to justice, protection of lives and property, and the rule of law as the investigation continues.