Man to divorce 82 wives

A Nigerian religious leader with 86 wives has accepted an Islamic decree ordering him to divorce all but four.

A spokesman for the emir of Bida told the BBC that Mohammadu Bello Abubakar, 84, agreed to comply with the decree.

The former teacher and Islamic preacher lives in Niger State with his wives and at least 170 children.

One of Nigeria's top Islamic bodies, the Jamatu Nasril Islam, had sentenced him to death. The sentence was lifted but he was threatened with eviction from his home.

Mr Abubakar had challenged Islamic scholars, saying there was no punishment stated in the Koran for having more than four wives.

"All my wives are with children and some of these are people I have married and stayed with for over 30 years. How can they expect me to leave them within two days?" he reportedly told local newspapers.

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