Minister Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye has taken legal action to halt Speaker Abdulmalik Sarkindaji’s plan to marry off 100 orphaned girls in Niger State. Speaking in Abuja, she revealed her petition to the Inspector-General of Police, citing concerns over the girls’ welfare.
Sarkindaji had proposed the mass marriage as a means to aid the impoverished, clarifying that it was voluntary. However, Kennedy-Ohanenye deemed the plan unacceptable, emphasizing the girls’ futures.
She asserted that the Ministry of Women Affairs would ensure their education and vocational training.
Expressing the need for girl-child empowerment, she criticized the lack of educational opportunities for the girls. Kennedy-Ohanenye vowed to support their education and skill development, warning of legal action if the speaker persisted with the marriage plan. She reaffirmed the state’s duty to protect every child’s right under the law.
