The Nigerian chapter of the Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) has highlighted the saga of a 15 year-old girl whom the group alleged recently escaped from members of her family in Plateau state, whom it said were trying to force the underage girl into a marriage.
The teenager reportedly escaped from her village in Plateau state to Ekiti earlier in September, to seek refuge with her male sibling who resides in Ekiti state, but had been temporarily stranded in Ekiti when she could not quickly locate her brother there.
The 15 year old teenager reportedly told FIDA her father had tried to force her into a marriage.
The chairperson of FIDA, Mrs. Toyin Odunayo, in a briefing, revealed that the association had initially provided shelter for the girl following her inability to locate her brother.
” By the time, we got across to her brother, Hameed Adamu, he confirmed that their father wanted to marry his sister out to a man without her consent.
‘’Adamu said that their father had effected the arrest of a man in Plateau state claiming that the man sponsored his sister’s trip to Ekiti to avoid the marriage.
“The man was released the following day, but my father threatened to have him re-arrested if my sister did not return to Plateau state on Monday, Sept. 28,’’ Odunayo quoted Adamu in the statement.
According to the FIDA Chairperson, the group has reported the case to the Ekiti branch of the National Human Rights Commission, who then linked it with the Plateau branch.
“We called the Plateau branch, gave them a summary of the case and we were assured that they will take up the case and ensure that the man who was arrested is safe.
”Her brother was then made to sign an undertaking to the effect that his sister will report at our office every Wednesday by noon for counselling,’’ she further stated.