Khamis Haruna, the groom who escaped death by a whisker after eating a poisoned meal prepared by her bride two days after their wedding, has expressed shock over the incident, saying that he was of the opinion that his bride, Zahara’u, was in love.
Contrary to earlier reports that the ugly incident occurred on the night they were married, Haruna said the incident occurred last Sunday, two days after their marriage penultimate Friday.
He recalled that the poisoned food prepared by Zahara’u at their Albasu village in Jahun Local Government Area was consumed by him and two of his friends as they prepared to go to bed following the departure of other friends, family members and well-wishers.
Twenty-nine-year-old Haruna recalled that while he and his friend Isyaku Adamu were lucky to survive the poisonous food after spending a night at Kiyawa Hospital, his other friend, Muhammed Alfah, was not so lucky, as he eventually gave up the ghost.
Speaking to The Nation in an exclusive interview, Haruna said: “We were married on Friday and the ceremony continued till Sunday when the bride, Zahara’u, came into my house as the last phase of the ceremony.
“At about 10 pm on that day, my two friends urged me to go into Zaharau’s room, but I said no, because some of the women that escorted her to the house had not left.
“So we were in my tailoring shop when some of the bride’s friends came and told us that we should come in to eat, but I told them we were not yet ready.
“Later, they came back with the food, which was jollof spaghetti, and left.”
Haruna, who said that he and Zaharau courted for two years before they got married penultimate Friday, however, said the bride was only 14 years old at the time they got married.
He said: “We were married of love. She loved me I loved her too.
“Since she was still a small girl, we were in love for two years before our marriage.
“We saw her in a neighbouring village, Bakata, also in Kiyawa Local Government Area, and approached her almost two years ago.
“We continued dating until she reached 14 years and I made arrangements for marriage.
“We got married on (penultimate) Friday and I brought her to my house on the day of the tragic incident.”
