Bauchi State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Abdulrazak Zaki has dismissed allegations contained in a petition of child abduction leveled against him by his ex-wife, Iklima Manu Soro, describing them as baseless and unfounded.
Reacting to the petition at the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Zaki questioned how a can father abduct his own biological daughter? “Zainab Nuhu Zaki is legally and religiously my child, and I have every right over her.”
Soro had through her lawyer, Barrister Mwansat Hirse petitioned the IGP, claiming that Zaki abandoned his daughter from birth until she was 9 years old when he allegedly forcefully took custody of her without any legal process.
Speaking with journalists on Saturday, the commissioner explained that he had been married to Zainab’s mother under Islamic law but was compelled to divorce her due to irreconcilable differences with her family.
He stressed that pressure from her relatives, particularly Mansur Manu Soro, a member of the House of Representatives, and Nura Manu, contributed to the breakdown of the marriage.
“I never intended to divorce my wife because we loved each other deeply, but her family’s interference, especially from her brother and mother led to the unfortunate end of our marriage,” he said.
He acknowledged the efforts of his former father-in-law, Alhaji Manu Soro, and other relatives who had tried to reconcile them, but stated that despite obtaining favourable court rulings from three different courts granting him custody of his daughter, he was repeatedly denied access to her.
“Now that her mother has remarried, and Zainab is no longer comfortable living with her grandfather, she has chosen to stay with me and her siblings. What is wrong with that? Yet, some individuals are running around stirring unnecessary trouble,” he added.
He denied kidnapping or abducting his daughter, emphasising that he was merely enforcing court rulings while also revealing that Zainab is now in a boarding school alongside three of his other daughters, adding, “Nothing can change that.”
He vowed to protect his children legally and religiously, urging his former in-laws to stop pursuing what he termed a baseless case.
Contacted over the matter, one of Zainab’s uncle and a member of the House of Representatives, Manu Soro declined comment as the issue is now before a court of law.
“I want to confirm that the dispute the commissioner was having over the custody of the child is between him and my sister. I am not a party to it, the issue is now before the court, and any matter that is before a court, I don’t think I can be in a position to discuss it, because the matter is sub judice”, Mansur said.
On her part, the ex-wife, Iklima through her lawyer, alleged that the commissioner refused to heed the intervention of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, and that the case was currently before the Sharia Court of Appeal.
Meanwhile, Barrister Hirse accused Zaki of violating a Bauchi State High Court ruling that ordered both parties to maintain the status quo until a final verdict was reached, and further alleged that the commissioner, with the assistance of police operatives, attempted to forcibly take Zainab from her grandfather’s home.
The petition detailed an incident on January 21, 2025, where Zaki allegedly orchestrated Zainab’s abduction while she was on her way to school.
It also accused the commissioner of leading a group of thugs to invade the family home of the late Alhaji Manu Soro in December 2024 in an attempt to forcibly take the child, an effort he said was thwarted by the police.
Following these allegations, the petitioners have urged the IGP to ensure a thorough investigation and take appropriate legal action against Hon. Zaki.
“We respectfully urge you to investigate this matter thoroughly and ensure that the suspect faces the full weight of the law. This will serve as a deterrent to others,” the petition stated.