Operatives of the Bauchi State Vigilante and Youth Empowerment Agency, alongside the Nigeria Police Force, have arrested several teenagers for participating in an illegal underage marriage ceremony in the Bauchi metropolis.
The bride price for the young couple was reportedly set at three thousand naira.
The underage couple and other suspects were brought before the Bauchi State Action Committee on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, led by the Governor’s wife, Aisha Bala Mohammed.
Those paraded included the teenage bride and groom, wedding guests, the officiating imam, and a young girl who allegedly posed as the bride’s mother.
Bauchi State First Lady, Aisha Bala Mohammed, blamed the incident on moral decline and neglected parental duties.
She urged parents to raise their children properly according to their religious teachings.
Bauchi State Hisbah Commander, Mohammed Bununu, declared the marriage illegal. He warned that the state would not tolerate these actions and demanded parents uphold Islamic values.
State Commissioner of Police, Sani Omolori, represented by PPRO Nafiu Habib, promised a full investigation and prosecution of all guilty parties.
The Committee on Gender-Based Violence reiterated its resolve to protect children from abuse and stopping harmful practices that threaten their future.
Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
