20100528
all africa

Two different women groups have protested against the quizzing of Senator Ahmad Sani Yarima over his marriage to an under-aged Egyptian girl.



The protesters stormed the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) yesterday saying Yarima should be left alone because he did nothing wrong.

Hajiya Fatti Dahiru who spoke on behalf of the first group said the attack on Yarima is an attack against Islam and Hausa-Fulani culture.

She said she married at the age of 9 and stayed with her mother in law for 4 years before consummating the marriage with her husband like most of the women protesters.

The second group led by President of the widows and less-privileged empowerment association Abuja, Mrs Rita Audu said Yarima has been the benefactor of widows in the country right from when he was governor of Zamfara State till now.

She said the moral bankruptcy in the society today makes it a good thing for girls to marry very early.

The women carried placards with messages like 'Leave Yarima Alone', 'Do not deny us our Islamic rights', 'Yarima friend of widows', etc.

Executive Secretary of NAPTIP Barrister Simon Egede thanked the women for the civil way they behaved and made their request known.

He however said that it is the National Assembly that makes laws and the agency is just enforcing it. He advised the women to address their grievances to the National Assembly which enacted the Child Rights Act and the NAPTIP Act.

While promising to look into the issue, Egede asked the women to take their case to the National Assembly if they want the law to be repealed or abrogated.