Shock as Minors Secretly Conduct Marriage in Bauchi

From Paul Orude, Bauchi

The Wife of the Bauchi State Governor, Hajia Dr. Aisha Bala Mohammed, has expressed shock over a case involving mimors who allegedly arranged a marriage among themselves without the consent of their parents.

The supposed bride, Fatima (not her real name), aged 18, and the groom were on Thursday presented before the Bauchi State Action Committee on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), chaired by the First Lady.

The young couple who secretly married was presented alongside seven other suspects who allegedly arranged and witnessed the marriage ceremony.

They were apprehended by the Bauchi State Vigilante and Youth Empowerment Agency, led by Commandant Umar Aliyu Shayi, in collaboration with the Bauchi State Police Command. The groom alledly abducted his would be bride and went to secret location after the marriage.

The groom reportedly paid a bride price of N3,000 without the consent of the girl’s father.

Those arrested also included wedding guests, the alleged teenage imam who conducted the marriage, and an underage girl who acted as the bride’s mother during the ceremony.

Hajia Bala Mohammed believes the minors lack knowledge and need to be reoriented

While receiving the suspects, Hajia Aisha Bala Mohammed described the incident as a wake-up call for parents, communities, and stakeholders to pay closer attention to the upbringing and associations of children.

She urged parents to recommit themselves to proper parental responsibilities and religious teachings, attributing such incidents to uncontrolled family sizes and the abandonment of children at an early age.

“We have received another disturbing case where children decided to get themselves married without the consent of their parents,” she said.

“This is shocking and unfortunate. We invited the parents of both the groom and the bride, alongside members of the GBV Committee and other stakeholders, so that together we can determine how best to address the matter and prevent future occurrences.

“We agreed that both the parents and the children made mistakes. We will continue discussions with stakeholders to arrive at a concrete decision regarding what these teenagers did.

“We discovered that they are ignorant, not in school, and lack proper understanding of their religion, the laws of the country, and the rules guiding society in the state.

“The Bauchi State Action Committee on Gender-Based Violence will provide orientation for the children and work towards resolving the matter.

 Their mindset must be changed so they understand who they are and the purpose for which God created them.”