200808232012 | Man told to divorce 82 of his 86 wives

Man told to divorce 82 of his 86 wives

Abuja - Nigeria's Islamic authority has told an 84-year-old man with 86 wives and 170 children that he must whittle his number of spouses down to four or face the death penalty, reports said on Thursday.
Mohammed Bello Abubakar, a former teacher and preacher, could face the death penalty under Sharia law, which was reintroduced to the Muslim-majority Niger State, North-West Nigeria, in 2000.

Nigerian media interviewed Abubakar two weeks ago, when he claimed there was no punishment in the Qu'ran for having more than four wives.

However, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) last week blasted Abubakar for his stance. They said there was no way Abubakar was able to satisfy his 86 wives.

NSCIA Secretary-General Dr Abdul-Lateef Adegbite told Nigerian newspaper Punch that the NSCIA's President-General and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar, was embarrassed by Abubakar's behaviour.

"The Sultan urged Muslims to ignore Bello Abubakar's brazen disregard of the Sharia, which clearly limits a man to four wives only," he said.