Some women’s groups in Nigeria have threatened to sue Senator Sani Yerima, a former governor who first introduced the controversial Sharia law in Zamafara State, Northern Nigeria, in 1999 when he assumed office as governor, for marrying a 13-year-old Egyptian girl.
Yerima, now a Senator in Nigeria, was reported to have married the 13-year-old Egyptian girl about three weeks ago.
The women’s groups while briefing journalists on Tuesday in Abuja said that Yerima had contravened Sections 21 and 22 of the Child Rights Act as well as the 1999 Constitution.
The National President of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria, Dr : Mma Nwokocha, said that child marriage had continued to exist in Nigeria in spite of the fact that country was signatory to various international laws prohibiting marriage to under-age girls.
“The impact of this is disastrous to the little girl. The female organ is not ready for reproduction. Are we lacking mature young girls for marriage ? “It could have been tolerated if committed by an illiterate, but the people who should be guiding the nation are the ones breaking the law.
“If you behave in a way that is not befitting then I find it difficult to give you that title “Distinguished Senator,’’ she said.
Nwokocha noted that the young girls were always saddled with the problem of Vesico Vagina Fistula (VVF), adding that the women had the duty to protect them.
She expressed worry that no official statement had been made since the reported marriage.
Nwokocha said : “We want to stand in front of the National Assembly to protest with our placards for seven days against this behaviour’’.
Nwokocha called on Yerima to return the girl to her parents and also called on the Senate to investigate the issue.
“This is a black veil for the Senate in totality. We will not keep quiet. We will continue our protest to the Acting President,’’ she said.
Also speaking, Mrs Chinelo Iriele, the National President of the Global Association of Female Attorneys, said that Nigerian women would not rest until justice is done.
“We are calling for the withdrawal of Senator Yerima because he is not fit to be a senator. We want Zamfara to start the process of his recall,’’ she added.
Hajia Saadatu Mahdi, Secretary-General of the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), said that the women were not hurt because “Yerima has decided to exercise his manhood but because he is someone who believes in religion’’.
“He has his right to privacy to the extent that he does not transcend other people’s rights. Male and female senators are behind us,’’ she added.