Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has taken legal action to prevent the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, from proceeding with his plan to sponsor the marriage of 100 girls.
Kennedy-Ohanenye also announced that she has filed a petition with the Inspector-General of Police regarding Sarkin-Daji’s intentions.
She said that a thorough investigation is underway, with the matter scheduled for further review on May 24.
Sarkin-Daji had announced his intention to fund the wedding of 100 girls, including those orphaned by insurgency, as part of his Maringa constituency project. He stated that he had made arrangements for the event set to take place on May 24 and assured that he would cover the dowries for the brides.
In response to the backlash, the speaker clarified that he was only providing financial support for the weddings and not coercing the girls into marriage.
Kennedy-Ohanenye expressed her strong opposition to the plan, emphasizing the need to prioritize the future of the girls. She also stated that the ministry will take charge of the girls’ education and vocational training.
The Minister said: “I want to let the honorable Speaker of the House in Niger state know that this is totally unacceptable by the Federal Minister of Women Affairs and by the government,” Kennedy-Ohanenye said.
“Because there is something called the Child’s Right Act and I said it from the onset, that is no more business as usual.
“These children must be considered, their future must be considered, the future of the children to come out of their marriage must be considered.
“So I have gone to court. I have written him a letter and written a petition to the IG of police.
“And I have filed for injunction to stop him from whatever he is planning to do on the 24th, until a thorough investigation is carried out on those girls, find out whether they gave their consent, their ages, find out the people marrying them.
“As the speaker did not think about empowering these women or sending them to school or giving them some kind of training support financially. The Women Affairs have decided to take it up and we are going to educate the children.
“Those that do not want to go to school, we will train them in a skill, empower them with sustainable empowerment machines to enable that child build his or her life and make up her mind who and when to get married.
“If for any reason the speaker tries to do contrary to what I have just mentioned, there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”
Uptown Press learned on Tuesday that the Speaker at a press conference suspended the planned mass wedding due to the action of the Minister, saying she had overstepped her bounds.
