Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and sought a court injunction to stop the Niger State House Assembly Speaker, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, from marrying off 100 orphaned girls in the state.
She made this known at a press briefing in Abuja
The minister’s move is in reaction to a recent declaration by Sarkindaji that the girls who became orphaned as a result of attacks by bandits in Mairiga Local Government Area, (LGA), under his constituency would be married off to solve the challenge of their upkeep.
According to the speaker, marrying off the orphaned girls would be part of his constituency project to the people of Mairiga LGA come May 24th, 2024.
Disagreeing with the speaker, the minister said “I want to let the honorable speaker of house in Niger states to know that this is unacceptable by 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 is no more business as usual.
“These children must be considered, their future must be considered and the future of the children to come out of their marriage must also be considered.”
She expressed disappointment over the speaker’s action, saying that the federal government has gone to court to prevent such a move and would ensure justice for the helpless victims
“I have gone to court. I have written him, (the speaker), a letter and written a petition to the IG of police
“I have also 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 said the move is unacceptable hence, full-scale investigation has commenced on the issue to understand what led to such scandalous suggestion.
“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,”she warned.
The Speaker recently announced his plans to marry off the orphaned girls, who lost their parents due to banditry attacks in Mariga local government area as part of his constituency project on May 24.
The Speaker announced that the gesture “aim at alleviating the suffering of the impoverished”, pledging to pay the dowries for the bridegrooms and has procured materials for the mass wedding to interested grooms.
