1

Adenike Rukayat is on the run from her husband, Sulaimon Badmus’ family, after they insisted that she must submit her two daughters, Faridah (16) and her younger sister, Khadijat (10), to them for circumcision rites, a family tradition.

According to information gathered by our correspondent, Rukayat and her children were at the town of Awotan in Oyo State for the burial of her husband’s mother on December 20 2023.

A source who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that both Faridah and Khadijah were forcefully taken to the circumcision shrine; however, Faridah was having her menstruation, so they wanted to perform the rites on Khadijah.

The source revealed to our reporter that the family decided that the rites should be postponed till after Faridah’s menstruation is over, but they made Rukayat to swear an oath with them that she will produce the girls later so that they could perform the rite as they cannot carry out the rite for the younger girl, Khadija, before Faridah, the elder girl.

The family returned to Lagos on December 24 2023, our reporter was told.

By May 14, 2024, a member of her husband’s family, Oluwanishola Badmus, came to their home at No. 28 Odebunmi Street to attack her for refusing to bring the girls back for the rites.

In the process, according to the source, an argument ensued, which led to  Oluwanishola stabbing Rukayat, and she retaliated.

While Oluwanishola was in pain, she took her three children and ran away from the house ever since, according to what our correspondent learnt of the matter.

Since then, Rukayat’s husband’s family have been on the search for her and the children, a situation that poses potent danger to her and her children due to the oath that she had sworn.