coder A 17-year-old girl, Fatima Baba,
has appealed to the Niger Child
Right Protection Agency to
dissolve her one-month-old
marriage.

Fatima, who is married to 35-
year-old Salihu Mohammed,
told the agency on Tuesday in
Minna, that she was no more in
love with her husband, a
resident of Shaba Legbo village
in Gbako Local Government
Area of the state.

She pleaded with the agency to
dissolve her marriage to enable
her further her education.

“I was given in marriage to
Salihu by my family, who
thought I will have a better life
with him.

“I do not want this marriage; I
do not love this man. I want a
divorce because I want to go
to school and it is only when I
am divorced that I can return
to school,” she said.

In his response, Mohammed
said that he married his wife
legally, and with the consent of
her family.

He said that Malam Salihu
Mustapha, his wife’s uncle,
gave her to him in marriage
after she consented.

“At first, my wife was happy
with the marriage until she
suddenly changed her mind
and opted for a divorce.

“I still love my wife and I want
to spend my life with her, but if
she wants a divorce, I have no
objection. I cannot force her to
remain in the union,” he said.

Malam Halilu Shaba, the District
Head of Shaba Legbo, in his
reaction, told the agency that
parents in the community were
fond of forcing their children
into early marriage.

“Some also send their children
to become house-maids,
thereby denying them the
opportunity to go to school,”
he said.

He commended the agency for
its intervention, adding that
such step would serve as
deterrent to parents.

The Director-General of the
agency, Hajiya Maryam Kolo,
commended Fatima for the
courage to seek for divorce,
and gave both families a two-
week ultimatum within which
to dissolve the marriage.

“If you fail to do so within the
two weeks, the agency will file
for divorce on behalf of the girl
in a Sharia Court,” she said.

Kolo warned parents and
community leaders against
forcing children into early
marriage thereby denying
them the opportunity to
acquire western education.

She said that early marriage
had many disadvantages
including the risk of Vesico
Vaginal Fistula (VVF) diseases.

Kolo advised other girls to
emulate Fatima’s bravery and
report similar matters to the
agency.