A child-bride who is a 13yr old primary 5 pupil of POWA primary school in Abuja, Nigeria was supposed to be married off to a 40yr old man on friday, july 25, 2015 in Abuja.
However, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) came to the rescue of the young girl when it stopped the planned marriage after an investigation.
The commission later issued a press statement, and it said that the commission acted swiftly based on the tip off it got, and the minor was retrieved from the offender and all parties involved in the child violation, including the intended groom to be. simply identified as Mr Ibrahim, who had full knowledge that the girl was a minor. After series of interrogation, the commission quoted relevant laws that backed its action of stopping the marriage which includes sections 21,22,23 of the Nigerian Child Rights Act (2003) which prohibits child marriage or betrothal, an offence which is punishable by five years' imprisonment or 500,000 naira fine.
The executive secretary of the commission professor Bem Angwe, while referring the matter to the commissioner of police, FCT command for prosecution, and also strongly stated the determination of the commission to ensure full implementation of the child acts and enforcement on all persons irrespective of their status or religious belief.
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