To dey marry girl or give small girl wey no reach age for marriage (Early/ Forced Marriage)
To dey force small girl to marry or marry small girl na to dey do so when the girl no want am or gree make she marry. This dey happen when the girl never reach 18 years becos na 18 be de year wey law recognize sey person don dey mature.
Early marriage na to dey give girl for marriage at age wey small when she girl no sabi her rights. For Nigeria, early marriage dey happen like when dem don marry out a girl sharpaly as dem just dey born am. Force marriage na to dey marry a girl wey no want am as e be like say dem wan induce or force am. E don happen say, dem go comot dis girls from skool or dem no go fit get education. Dis dey happen time bcos of culture, social, economic or political reasin.
We fit call Child marriage any marriage wey dey between a child wey never reach and person wey be adult or another person wey never reach 18 years. A child never reach age wey she go fit give consent for marriage. Child Marriage dey abuse child for sex.
Ogbonge things wey we suppose know for this early or force marriage mata:
* we suppose dey encourage our girls make dem fit talk to adult wey dem trust wey go fit help or make dem speak got govment agaency dem wey go fit stop make dem dey abuse dem for sex
*we suppose educate wey wan give im pinkin for early marriage ontop danger wey dey dia.
Punishment:
For state like Ekiti, Ondo, FCT, wey Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Laws and Child Rights Laws full ground, the punishment wey dey ground for pesin wey do forced marriage na 2 years for prison or make d pesin pay fine wey reach N500,000 or make he go prinson and pay N500k together, or make d pesin go prison for 5 years or pay go prisnon and pay money.
Section 21 for the Child’s Right Act no gree make dem marry child when dem born am or or do child marriage becos pesin wey do am go pay fine wey reach N500,000 or make im go prison for 5 years or make im pay fine and go prison togeda. The pesin wey go enter this wahala na-
(a) pesin wey marry the child; or (b) pesin wey dem give the child wey dem just born for marriage; or (c) pesin wey dey behind the child marriage; or (d) pesin wey give the child out.
For Nigeria, law dey punish child child marriage but this 11 states neva pass the Federal law for dia state wey go punish child marriage, dem be; Kebbi, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Jigawa, Zamfara, Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Borno and Adamawa.
For Kawara and Kaduna wey dem don make pass Child’s Right Act for dia states, dia law dey diffrent. Section 24(3) for Kaduna State Child Protection Law, d say say a child wey don reach 14 years fot go do marriage for dia Islamic Law. No forget say 18 years na the age of majority.
For Kwara, for section 274 wey dey Kwara State Child Rights Law, 2007, child na pesin we dey under 16 years. If girl wey don reach 16 get married, she no be a child.
