A child rights group in Bayelsa, the DO Foundation, on Thursday attacked the December 26 traditional marriage between a four-year-old “bride” and a 54-year-old man in Akeddei community in the Sagbama local government of the state. .
The DO Foundation, in a statement in Yenagoa, described the marriage as illegal, criminal and child marriage, contrary to the Constitution and the Child Rights Act.
The statement was signed by Elvis Mannie, President of the Bayelsa DO Foundation.
The foundation condemned child marriage as a horrendous, despicable and criminal activity.
According to the civil society group, “the law is capable of retarding the gigantic strides made by the government and people of Bayelsa in the area of protection of children’s rights.”
DO Foundation highlighted that the Child Rights Act was domesticated in the state in 2016, and is still in force in Bayelsa.
“This law criminalizes child marriages and betrothal and provides for various prison sentences and high fines,” the foundation said.
The foundation called on the Bayelsa State Government, the Gender Response Initiative team and the public to speak out against the marriage.
He urged security agencies to launch a thorough investigation into the incident, with a view to protecting the child from sexual exploitation.
The group also demanded the arrest and prosecution of all those found guilty.
The foundation said it has launched developmental research to save the boy.
NAN learned that the marriage between the girl and the man, simply identified as Elder Akpos, was at the behest of the girl’s parents.
According to a source, the girl’s parents claim that the man was her husband in her “previous life.”
According to community sources, the girl claimed that the man was her husband, who died mysteriously in his “previous life.”
The little girl said that over the years she has moved from one place to another, to be given birth by different parents, in search of her ex-husband.
The source said: “The little bride said that if she was not allowed to marry her husband, she would have no other business in the Akeddei community and that she would die peacefully and go on her way.
“To avoid losing the girl, the people of Akeddei decided to organize a glamorous wedding ceremony to mark the union of the two lovers from previous lives.”
(YAYA)