By Adenike Lawal
In a shocking twist of desperation, two co-wives in Dakwa, a community in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, landed in the hospital after taking a herbal aphrodisiac in a bid to reclaim their husband’s attention following his marriage to a third wife.
The women, whose identities remain undisclosed, reportedly ingested a powdered form of kayan mata—a traditional intimacy enhancer popular in Northern Nigeria—after mixing it with milk.
Their goal was simple but risky: to reignite the flame in their polygamous home.
But instead of love, the concoction delivered agony.
Their husband, Musa Muhammad, said he was with his newest wife from Zamfara State when he got a frantic call. “I rushed home and found them writhing in pain,” he recalled.
After a failed attempt to stabilise them with a drip, he hurried them to a private clinic in Madalla, Niger State.
Doctors there diagnosed internal organ damage linked to the herbal mixture. Emergency surgeries saved their lives, and they were discharged after nearly a week in care.
The hunt is now on for the unidentified herbalist who supplied the deadly mix. Community leaders are demanding justice and safeguards to prevent a repeat.
Medical experts are sounding the alarm. “These substances can cause lasting harm to vital organs and fertility,” warned Dr. Taiye Anifowose, a gynaecologist.
She called for urgent public education campaigns and stronger regulation of herbal remedies.
Beyond the health scare, the incident exposes the emotional toll of polygamy and the extreme lengths some women take to stay relevant in their homes—even at the risk of their lives.
