Weekly Trust: Please can you tell us about yourself?
Maryam: My name is Maryam Yahaya, I am 17 years old and the first born of my family. I have three younger sisters and one brother.
Maryam: My name is Maryam Yahaya, I am 17 years old and the first born of my family. I have three younger sisters and one brother.
Why are you in Police custody?
My husband, Auwal is dead.
How did he die?
( A long pause)
What happened on the day he died?
On that day, I went to my sister’s house to help her make taliya (local spaghetti) . By the time I came back home in the evening, I met him at home. So he asked me for his food and I told him I did not cook, but that I had brought taliya from my sister’s house which I prepared myself for him. After he had eaten it , he took his ulcer medication ‘Gestid’ because he said he was not feeling fine. He now told me he wanted to have sex and I told him I was not interested; he insisted and I refused then he started insulting me saying that I was stupid. He said he had married me to have sex and that I didn’t know the value of marriage.
My husband, Auwal is dead.
How did he die?
( A long pause)
What happened on the day he died?
On that day, I went to my sister’s house to help her make taliya (local spaghetti) . By the time I came back home in the evening, I met him at home. So he asked me for his food and I told him I did not cook, but that I had brought taliya from my sister’s house which I prepared myself for him. After he had eaten it , he took his ulcer medication ‘Gestid’ because he said he was not feeling fine. He now told me he wanted to have sex and I told him I was not interested; he insisted and I refused then he started insulting me saying that I was stupid. He said he had married me to have sex and that I didn’t know the value of marriage.
