The Minister of Women Affairs, Barrister (Mrs) Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has formally reached out to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and filed a request for a legal order to prevent Speaker Abdulmalik Sarkindaji of the Niger State Assembly from overseeing the marriage of 100 orphaned girls.
The speaker has revealed his intention to provide marriage support for the orphaned girls who tragically lost their parents in bandit attacks in the Mariga local government area, as part of his constituency project, scheduled for May 24th.
During a press conference in Abuja, Mrs Kennedy-Ohanenye expressed her disapproval of the plans, highlighting that a thorough investigation has been initiated into the matter.
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She said, “I want to let the honourable speaker of the house in Niger states know that this is totally unacceptable by Federal Minister Of Women Affairs and by the government totally unacceptable.
“Because there is something called the Child’s Rights 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 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, find out whether they gave their consent, their ages, find out the people marrying them.”