Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, the Minister of Women Affairs, has complained to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and has also requested a court order to prevent Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, the Speaker of the Niger State Assembly, from arranging the marriage of 100 orphaned girls.
She argues that the intention to marry off these girls is not permissible, as there are laws in place to protect the rights of children in the country.
The Speaker recently made public his plans to marry off these orphaned girls, who allegedly lost their parents due to attacks by bandits in the Mariga local government area of the state.
The Speaker stated that this act of marrying them off would be part of his constituency project.
He believes that this gesture will help alleviate the suffering of those who are impoverished. Additionally, he has promised to cover the dowries for the grooms and provide the necessary materials for the mass wedding.
However, during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Kennedy-Ohanenye strongly condemned these plans and stressed that a thorough investigation has been initiated to determine whether the girls have given their consent.
She 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.”
Recall that the event occurred in Anambra State, and there is a video of the n3ked small girl with burns all over her body, including her buttocks, private region, torso, and face.
Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, Minister of Women Affairs, announced this during a news conference on Monday, February 12, in Abuja.
Kennedy-Ohanenye added that the suspect, thought to be a lawyer, had been eluding authorities since the event.
According to her, she updated her contact information but continues to post on social media, claiming that no action would be taken against her.
The minister stated:
“I decided the keep quiet on the issue of Mrs Adachukwu Kukelu Okafor who burnt the private parts and body of her 10years old househelp with a hot knife and hot iron in Anambra state. I kept quiet because I thought it would have been solved by now but since it hasn’t, I have decided to wage into the issue.“Some people wonder why the Women’s Affairs ministry always wages into issues but it is within my purview to get involved in anything that concerns women and children across the nation. So I will not listen anymore but would wage into any issue that concerns women and children across the country.
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