Women Affairs Minister, Kennedy-Ohanenye urges IGP to stop Niger Speaker from marrying off 100 girls

Kennedy-Ohanenye reminded the Speaker that “there is something called the Child’s Right Act”, and insisted “it is no more business as usual”

By Kehinde Okeowo

Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and sought for a court injunction to stop Speaker of the Niger State Assembly,  Abdulmalik Sarkindaji from marrying off 100 girls in the state.

Her petition followed the Speaker’s recent announcement that he will be marrying off the orphaned girls, who reportedly lost their parents due to banditry attacks in Mariga local government area of the state.

According to Sarkindaji, tying the knot for the girls would be part of his constituency project.

While announcing the move, the Speaker said the gesture is “aimed at alleviating the suffering of the impoverished”, pledging to pay the dowries for the bridegrooms and help procured materials for the mass marriage.

Reacting to the development while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Monday,
Kennedy-Ohanenye, said such practices will no longer take place under her watch. 

She went on to remind the Niger Speaker that “there is something called the Child’s Right Act”, and insisted she made it clear “from the onset, that it is no more business as usual”.

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She went on to describe the plan as “unacceptable”, emphasising that a full-scale investigation has commenced on the issue.

Kennedy-Ohanenye said: “I want to let the honorable speaker of the house in Niger State to 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 is no more business as usual.

“These children must be considered, their future 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.”