MINISTER of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has filed for a court injunction to stop the planned marriage of 100 orphans said to be children by the Speaker of Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji.
The minister also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, seeking his support to stop the planned marriage.
The ministry’s head of press and public relations Grace Njoku confirmed this while speaking with The ICIR on Tuesday, May 14.
“She has written to seek a court injunction to stop it,” she stated.
On Friday, May 10, Sarkindaji announced plans to marry off the 100 orphans as part of his empowerment project.
The orphans whose ages were not disclosed were said to have lost their parents to banditry in the Mariga Local Government Area of the state.
Sarkindaji promised to pay their bride price and claimed to have procured all necessary materials for the mass marriage.
However, the minister described the plan as unacceptable, and contrary to the Childs Rights Act.
“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,” she said on Monday, May 13.
She also stated that her ministry would take up the burden of educating the orphans.
“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.”
The Speaker’s announcement to marry the orphans off as an empowerment project generated public outrage from Nigerians over the weekend.
A Civil Society Organisation, the Take It Back Movement, also called on Sarkindaji, to rescind his decision to marry off the orphans.
In a statement signed by its head of the gender department, Omolola Pedro, the group condemned the Speaker’s action and called for sustainable investment in women and girls.
However, the Speaker said he was only funding the wedding ceremony, not forcing orphans into it.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.