There is growing confusion in Yalwawa community in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, following a viral claim that a father cancelled his daughter’s wedding over the groom’s support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The report, which spread quickly on social media, triggered heated reactions and drew attention to the community.
However, key figures have given conflicting accounts, leaving residents uncertain about what truly happened.
The Ward Head of Yalwawa, Malam Ahmad Garba Yalwawa, has strongly dismissed the claim. He described it as false and malicious.
According to him, the story was fabricated to tarnish the image of the peaceful community.
“Someone called my attention to the report and asked me to verify it. I had to personally search for it, and after seeing it, I started receiving calls from different quarters seeking clarification,” he said.
Garba explained that he did not rush to respond. He said he carried out a careful investigation before speaking publicly.
“Initially, I kept silent because I was trying to understand who exactly was involved and when such an incident took place.
“Since I had no prior knowledge of it, I could neither confirm nor deny it at that moment.
“I then began a thorough investigation to determine the authenticity of the claim.”
He added that despite days of inquiries, no resident could confirm the incident.
“I investigated from that Friday up till Tuesday evening, but not a single person could confirm witnessing or having direct knowledge of such an incident. That alone raised serious doubts about the credibility of the story,” he said.
During the probe, attention shifted to a man identified as Muhammad Sani, whose daughter got married on the same day at the mosque mentioned in the viral report. However, the ward head said Sani denied any link to the controversy.
“He came in person and made it clear that his daughter was successfully married and is now in her matrimonial home. There was no cancellation or controversy as being reported,” Garba stated.
Maintaining his position, the ward head insisted the story was entirely false.
“In all our investigations, we have not been able to establish any truth in the report. It is clearly fake news, concocted by individuals or groups whose identities are yet to be known,” he said.
He also warned that efforts were ongoing to identify those behind the report, adding that legal action could follow.
Meanwhile, the bride’s father, Malam Muhammadu Sani, also denied the allegation. He said he only heard about the report through people, noting that he does not use social media.
“I heard about it like every other person. I did not even see the report myself because I do not use an Android phone. My handset is a basic one,” he said.
He confirmed that his daughter’s wedding took place as planned but distanced himself from the viral claim.
“Yes, my name is Muhammad Sani, also known as Sani Dankwangila, and I married out my daughter last Friday at that mosque. But I am not the person involved in that story,” he said.
Sani further stated that he has no interest in politics.
“What business do I have with Tinubu? Whatever he does is his own responsibility. He does not even know me,” he added.
He explained that the marriage followed Fulani customs and was handled by his elder brother. He also revealed that the bride married her maternal cousin and that there was no dispute at any point.
However, the Chairman of Yalwawa Development Association, Comrade Umar Kazaure, gave a different version. He admitted that there was a disagreement, but said it was later resolved.
“Although the wedding eventually took place, the issue did arise as reported. After discussions and interventions, the matter was resolved, and the bride is now living with her husband,” he said.
Kazaure suggested that the father’s reaction may have been influenced by frustration over the current economic situation in the country, rather than pure political reasons.
As of the time of filing this report, the identity of the groom remains unclear, as efforts to reach him were unsuccessful.
A resident in the area also confirmed that the issue briefly surfaced at the mosque but could not provide full details about the groom.
The situation has since calmed, but the incident has sparked wider debate about misinformation and its impact on communities.
For now, residents are left with two narratives — one dismissing the report as false, and another insisting that there was an issue which was later settled.