The Bauchi State Government has denied reports circulating on social media that Governor Bala Mohammed approved a fixed dowry of ₦1,500 for divorced women, describing the claim as false and intended to mislead the public.
The clarification was made on Sunday by the Commissioner for Religious Affairs and Societal Reorientation, Muhammad Binni, while speaking with journalists in Bauchi.
According to Binni, a video making the rounds on Facebook and TikTok falsely alleged that the state government had introduced such a policy and that the traditional ruler of Zar (Gum Zar) had instructed residents to comply with it.
He dismissed the report, describing the allegation as “entirely false, baseless and fabricated.”
The commissioner said, “The Bauchi State Government has never issued any directive or policy concerning the dowry of divorced or single women. The information circulating on social media is fake and intended to mislead the public.”
Binni urged residents not to be deceived by the content of the viral video and cautioned against the spread of unverified information capable of causing public misunderstanding.
“We call on members of the public to disregard the viral video and refrain from sharing unverified information that is capable of causing unnecessary tension and confusion,” Binni said.
He further noted that Governor Mohammed has consistently shown respect for the religious and cultural values of the people of Bauchi State throughout his administration.
According to him, “Governor Bala Mohammed has always respected the religious beliefs, cultural values and traditions of the people of Bauchi State. The government has not and will not impose policies that contradict these cherished values.”
The commissioner also encouraged citizens to verify information before reposting it on social media platforms.
He said, “We urge everyone to verify information before sharing it and to avoid spreading falsehoods capable of undermining the peace, unity and reputation of Bauchi State and its rich religious and cultural heritage.”
Meanwhile, journalists gathered that the claim originated from a social media user identified as Boroh James Hussaini, who alleged that a single woman who had given birth outside marriage would attract a dowry of ₦3,000, while women who had remained unmarried for a long period without giving birth would be married off to drivers without any dowry payment.