In a recent development, the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Kennedy -Ohanenye, has withdrawn a suit filed against the speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Abdulmalik Sarkindaji over his proposed plans to marry off 100 orphan girls from his constituency.
Eagle Online recalled that Kennedy-Ohanenye had petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and sought for a court injunction to stop Abdulmalik Sarkindaji from marrying off 100 orphaned girls.
The Speaker had recently announced the marriage plans as part of his constituency project on May 24.
Sarkindaji plans to marry off orphaned girls, who lost their parents to bandit attacks in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State.
He announced that the gesture is “aimed at alleviating the suffering of the impoverished”, pledging to pay the dowries for the bridegrooms and have procured materials for the mass marriage.
Kennedy-Ohanenye, while briefing newsmen on Friday, noted that the ministry in collaboration with the speaker of the Niger state assembly, and traditional rulers from the state, are currently investigating the ages of the girls to ascertain if they are within the stipulated age for marriage.
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According to her, the Ministry of Women Affairs will, for now, focus on empowering girls, as well as others affected by insecurity in the state.
In related development, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), had earlier made a call to the minister to withdraw the litigation and petition she wrote to the Inspector General of Police.
The Chairman, Kano State Chapter of MURIC, Malam Hassan Indabawa, who made the call on Thursday night in a statement, urged Nigerians to learn to respect one another’s culture and traditions.
“We found the harsh and hasty decision taken by the Honourable Minister for Women Affairs over a matter that is entirely beyond the scope of her ministry.
“The minister’s attempt at media demonisation of marrying off of 100 poor and orphaned girls, who were largely traumatised for losing both parents to brutal and bloody banditry and insurgency, exposed her ignorance to the culture and traditions of the Muslim North.
“This elaborate media blitz, over the matter, MURIC observed, was deliberately done to sway public opinion against the marriage institution, and an attempt to vilify Sarkin-Daji, after demonstrating his genuine concern for the needs of members of his constituency,” Indabawa said.
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