The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, has taken decisive action against the Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, who has announced plans to marry off 100 orphaned girls.
Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and sought a court injunction to halt the planned mass marriage. The orphans, who tragically lost their parents in banditry attacks in Mariga Local Government Area of the state, were reportedly earmarked for marriage as part of the Speaker’s constituency project.
Speaker Sarkindaji defended his intentions, stating that the mass marriage would alleviate the suffering of the orphaned girls. He pledged to cover the dowries for the brides and had already procured materials for the event.
However, Mrs. Kennedy-Ohanenye condemned the plans as “unacceptable” and has initiated a full-scale investigation into the matter. She stressed the importance of considering the future of these girls and cited the Child’s Right Act as grounds for her opposition to the mass marriage.
“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, totally unacceptable,” she stated.
“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,” she added.
Kennedy-Ohanenye briefed newsmen in Abuja on Monday regarding the ongoing developments.
