Hundreds of widows and divorcees yesterday staged a peaceful demonstration at the palace of the Emir of Gusau, Zamfara State capital, to register their grievances over the purported dissolution of their association by the State Hisbar Commission.

Speaking to the Emir of Gusau, Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Danbaba, the secretary of the association, Hajiya Amina Aliyu Shinkafi said the widows and divorcees were not comfortable with the unlawful dissolution of the association and sanctioning of their leader, Alhaji Saidu Koshe, over what she described as false allegations levelled against the leadership of the association. She, therefore, called for the intervention of the royal father in the matter.

Also speaking on the crisis, the acting chairperson, Hajiya Ladidi Lawal alleged that some officials of the Hisbah Commission demanded for a certain percentage of the money given to the widows who were married off, but the leadership of the association refused, adding that this was the cause of the crisis between the association and the Hisbah Commission.

Responding, the Emir of Gusau, Kabir Danbaba promised to invite Hisbah leadership to the palace for their own version of the story. When contacted, the Special Adviser on Hisbah Affairs, Dr Atiku Balarabe denied the purported dissolution of the association, but said that Hisbah ordered the suspension of the chairman pending the outcome of the investigation by a special committee set up by his commission on the issue.

•Credit (except headline): LEADERSHIP.