From Victor Osula Abuja
The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), seeking a court injunction to restrain the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, from marrying off 100 orphaned girls.
The speaker had recently announced plans to marry off the orphaned girls (who lost their parents to banditry attacks in Mariga local government area) as part of his constituency project on May 24.
Pledging to pay the dowries for the bride grooms and other items required for the mass marriage, Sarkindaji said the gesture is “aimed at alleviating” the suffering of the girls.
While briefing newsmen in Abuja, the Minister described the plan as “unacceptable”, emphasising that a full-scale investigation has commenced on the issue.
Reaffirming the position of the Child’s Rights Act, Kennedy-Ohanenye said every child belongs to the state, hence the rights of every child will be protected from harm, violence or anything that will infringe on their rights.
“I want to let the Honourable Speaker of the House in Niger State know that this is totally unacceptable by the Federal Minister Of Women Affairs and by the government. Totally unacceptable! Because there is something called the Child’s Right Act and I said it from the onset, that it’s 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. I have filed for an injunction to stop him from whatever he is planning to do on the 24th until a thorough investigation is carried out on those girls to 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 a in skill, empower them with sustainable empowerment machines to enable that child to build her life and make up her mind about 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,” she said.
