By Murtala Muhammad
Bauchi State Government dismisses a viral video being circulated on social media platforms, claiming that Governor Bala Mohammed has approved ₦1,500 as fixed dowry for divorced women, describing it as false and misleading.
Radio Nigeria, Globe FM Bauchi learnt that the viral video, allegedly circulated by some individuals, also claimed that the traditional ruler of Zar (Gum Zar) directed residents to comply with the purported government policy.
In another claim, a social media user identified as Boroh James Hussaini alleged that the dowry for a single woman who had given birth outside marriage would be ₦3,000, while unmarried women who had remained at home for a long time without giving birth would be married off to drivers free of charge.
Reacting to the claims during an interview with journalists in Bauchi, the Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Societal Reorientation, Muhammad Binni Abdulkadir, described the the viral videos and their contents as entirely false, baseless and misleading.
He stated that the Bauchi State Government had never issued any directive or policy concerning the dowry of divorced or single women, emphasising that the information circulating on social media was mischievous and intended to mislead the public.
The Commissioner urged residents to disregard the viral video and refrain from sharing unverified information capable of causing unnecessary tension and confusion.