Nigeria’s Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Uju Kennedy-Ohannaye, has taken legal action to stop the proposed marriage of 100 female orphans in Niger State, which was announced by the Speaker of the House of Assembly.
The Speaker had recently revealed plans to marry off orphaned girls from Mariga local government area, who lost their parents to banditry attacks, as part of his constituency project on May 24. He pledged to cover their dowries and had arranged materials for the mass marriage.
Expressing strong disapproval of the proposed mass marriage, Uju Kennedy-Ohannaye has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and sought a court injunction to prevent Speaker Abdulmalik Sarkindaji from proceeding with marrying off the 100 orphaned girls.
She cited violations of the Child Rights Act and raised concerns about the girls’ ages and consent, urging authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly.
The minister stressed the importance of securing a bright future for these girls and promised to provide them with necessary support and empowerment opportunities to help them realize their potential.
In another initiative, the minister disclosed plans to distribute POS machines, laptops, and farming tools to women across all 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), as part of the Ministry’s sustainable empowerment initiatives.
