Get Guardian on GoogleYoung boys and girls in Bauchi metropolis have been apprehended for allegedly engaging in an illegal marriage arrangement among themselves despite being below the legally recognised adult age of 18 years, with a bride price reportedly fixed at N3,000.
The supposed bride, whose name was withheld and whom her father claimed is 18 years old, alongside the “illegal” groom, was on Thursday presented before the Action Committee on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence chaired by the wife of the Bauchi State Governor, Aisha Bala Mohammed.
They were arrested by operatives of the Bauchi State Vigilante and Youth Empowerment Agency led by Umar Aliyu Shayi in collaboration with the Bauchi State Police Command.
Also apprehended were wedding guests, the Imam who reportedly conducted the marriage, and an underage girl who allegedly acted as the bride’s mother during the ceremony.
Speaking on the incident, the Commander of Hisbah in the state, Mohammed Mohammed Bununu, declared the marriage invalid, noting that the bride’s father denied knowledge of the arrangement.
Bununu stated that Bauchi, which operates under Sharia law, would not tolerate such practices and urged families to uphold Islamic values and proper parental guidance.
Also speaking, the First Lady, Aisha Bala Mohammed, attributed the development to poverty, moral decadence, and parental negligence.
She urged parents to recommit themselves to proper upbringing and religious teachings, stressing that children should not be left without guidance and supervision.
According to her, poor parental care, uncontrolled family size, and the abandonment of children at an early stage have contributed significantly to such incidents.
