Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and sought for a court injunction to stop Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, from marrying off 100 orphaned girls.
It will be recalled that the Speaker recently announced the marrying plans as part of his constituency project on May 24.
Sarkindaji plans to marry off orphaned girls, who lost their parents to bandits attacks in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
He announced that the gesture is “aimed at alleviating the suffering of the impoverished”, pledging to pay the dowries for the bridegrooms and have procured materials for the mass marriage.
Kennedy-Ohanenye, while briefing newsmen in Abuja, described the plan as “unacceptable”, emphasising that a full-scale investigation has commenced into the issue.
She said: “I want to let the Honourable Speaker of the House of Assembly in Niger State know that this is totally unacceptable by the Federal Minister of Women Affairs and by the government.
“Because there is something called the Child’s Right Act.
“And I said it from the onset that it 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.”
The Minister, while emphasising on the need to ensure girl-child education and empowerment, said: “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 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 to build his or her life and make-up her mind about who and when to get married.
“If for any reason the Speaker tries to do something contrary to what I have just mentioned, there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”
Kennedy-Ohanenye further emphasised that within the Child Rights Act, every child belongs to the state, hence the right of every child will be protected from harm, violence or anything that will infringe on it.
