15-Year-Old Girl Flees Plateau To Ekiti To Escape Child Marriage

A 15-year-old girl (names withheld) has reported her father to the office of the International Federation of Women Lawyers in Ekiti State over an alleged attempt to force her into marriage against her wish.

 

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the girl fled her home in Plateau State to Ekiti State on September 17 to stay with her brother to avoid the forceful marriage.

 

Briefing journalists on Tuesday in Ado-Ekiti, the Chairperson of FIDA, Toyin Odunayo, said the association had initially provided shelter for the girl following her inability to locate her brother.

 

Odunayo said: “By the time we got across to her brother, Hameed Adamu, he confirmed that their father wanted to marry his sister out to a man without her consent.

 

“Adamu said that their father had effected the arrest of a man in Plateau State, claiming that the man sponsored his sister’s trip to Ekiti to avoid the marriage.

 

“The man was released the following day, but my father threatened to have him re-arrested if my sister did not return to Plateau State on Monday, September 28.”

 

According to the FIDA Chairperson, the federation has reported the case to the National Human Rights Commission, Ekiti State branch, which then linked it with the Plateau State branch.

 

Odunayo said: “We called the Plateau branch, gave them a summary of the case and we were assured that they will take up the case and ensure that the man is safe.

 

“Her brother was then made to sign an undertaking to the effect that his sister will report at our office every Wednesday by noon for counselling.”

 

The FIDA chairperson enjoined the members of the public to be their brother’s keepers and report to appropriate authorities all cases of human trafficking and sexual violence against women and children.