In step with stories, the aggregate marriage ceremony used to be supported by means of the Speaker of the Niger Circumstance Meeting, Abdulmalik Sarkin-Daji, who stated native non secular leaders had approached him for support investment it.

The Imams Discussion board of Niger have stated that the wedding rite will have to travel forward, insisting that the ladies don’t seem to be underneath the 18 – the felony era of marriage.

Alternatively, critics have expressed fear that some women is also more youthful than 18, or being pressured to conform for monetary acquire.

Minister Kennedy-Ohanenye stated the ladies “deserve better” and that her segment used to be taking a look into who the 100 women are, their ages and whether or not they consented to the wedding.

Her segment will do business in the ladies training and coaching, she stated, including that if the Niger Circumstance speaker makes an attempt to prevent those efforts “there will be a serious legal battle between him and the Ministry of Women Affairs”.

On Friday, senior presidential aide Abiodun Essiet reiterated Ms Kennedy-Ohanenye’s course of action.

Ms Essiet added: “My appeal to all stakeholders is to stop embarking on policies and programs that exploit economically handicapped vulnerable people, increase and recycle poverty, and deepen ignorance.”

Human rights activists in Nigeria have introduced a petition , exteriorto prevent the plan. As of Friday night time, it has 10,500 signatures.

In step with global marketing campaign crew Ladies Now not Brides, 30% of women and 1.6% of boys in Nigeria are married earlier than the era of 18. Some 12% of women are married earlier than their fifteenth birthday.

Kid marriages are maximum habitual within the northern a part of the rustic, amongst broke, rural families. It’s perceptible so that you could let fall their households’ monetary burdens or to strengthen political and social alliances.

Northern Nigeria is most commonly Muslim and spiritual and cultural norms, reminiscent of polygamy, favour the observe.