SHARI’A COURT HEARS CUSTODY BATTLE OVER FOUR-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON IN KADUNA

Grandmother seeks custody amid family dispute, highlighting custody rules under Shari’a law.

Karimatu Sulaiman, a grandmother, pleaded to a Shari’a court in Kaduna for custody of her 4-year-old grandson after her divorced daughter remarried. Represented by counsel Usman Umar, she argued that her daughter’s remarriage nullifies her custody rights and asked for a N30,000 monthly child allowance. The child’s father, Bashir Abdullahi, opposed, wanting custody to enroll the child in school and maintain family ties. The court adjourned for Abdullahi to present witnesses on October 21. Under Shari’a law, custody often favors the mother for young children but can shift based on circumstances, with the child’s welfare paramount.