Kennedy-Ohanenye, the Women Affairs Minister, has launched a legal battle against the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, to stop his intentions of marrying 100 girls.
In a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, the minister revealed her move and also lodged a complaint with the Inspector-General of Police regarding Sarkin-Daji’s proposal, The Punch reported.
Kennedy-Ohanenye emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the matter scheduled for May 24.
As earlier reported by MUK, recall that last week, the Niger lawmaker disclosed his initiative to sponsor the marriage of 100 girls, including those affected by insurgency, under his Maringa constituency project.
He assured that the event, set for May 24, would be well-supported, even providing dowries for the couples.
Despite the Speaker’s clarification that the weddings are voluntary and not coerced, Kennedy-Ohanenye deemed the plan unacceptable, insisting on prioritizing the girls’ future.
“I want to let the honorable Speaker of the House in Niger state know that this is totally unacceptable by the Federal Minister of Women Affairs and by the government,” Kennedy-Ohanenye declared.
“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, 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.
“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 added.
