Foundation in Bayelsa demands arrest as 54-year-old man marries 4-year-old girl
A child rights advocacy group in Bayelsa, DO Foundation, has expressed their opposition to the traditional marriage that took place on December 26 between a 4-year-old ‘bride’ and a 54-year-old man at Akeddei community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement provided to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Yenagoa, Mr. Elvis Mannie, Bayelsa Chairperson of DO Foundation, described the union as illegal, criminal, and a violation of the constitution and the Child Rights Act.
The foundation strongly condemned the marriage, citing it as abominable, deplorable, and a criminal offense against the protection of child rights, which could undermine the progress made by the government and people of Bayelsa in protecting the rights of children.
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DO Foundation pointed out that the Child’s Right Law was domesticated in the state in 2016 and remains in effect in Bayelsa. The law strictly forbids child marriages and betrothals and imposes various punishments, including imprisonment and heavy fines.
The foundation called upon the Bayelsa government, the Gender Response Initiative Team, and all stakeholders in the gender response system to take immediate action.
It urged the security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident to safeguard the child from sexual exploitation and demanded the arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the act.
The foundation confirmed initiating an investigation into the matter with the objective of rescuing the child from the distressing situation.
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