Enugu Government Nullifies Underage Marriage

The Enugu State Government has formally nullified the marriage between a 13-year-old girl, identified as Amarachi, and an adult man in Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, following public outrage after videos and photos of the ceremony surfaced on social media.

The Commissioner for Gender, Women and Children Affairs, Ngozi Eni, announced the decision in a statement on Thursday, confirming that the state intervened after verifying that the marriage had already been conducted and consummated.

According to the ministry, the couple and their families were invited to explain why an underage child was given out in marriage, but they failed to honour the invitation. As a result, the ministry moved to arrest all individuals involved, including the girl’s parents, the groom, and the matchmaker identified as a native doctor known as Ezenwanyi.

Bride confirms she was forced into marriage

The statement noted that Amarachi privately disclosed that she did not consent to the marriage and had never attended school. She also said she was forced into the union by her family.

The groom’s mother reportedly told officials that her son was an only child and she needed to secure a wife for him. The ministry said she went silent after being informed that arranging a minor as a spouse violates Nigeria’s Child Rights Law.

The matchmaker, Mrs. Patience, claimed she was unaware that child marriage is a crime. The ministry’s legal team then briefed all parties on the provisions of the Child Rights Law, including penalties for child marriage, as well as the health and psychological risks associated with early marriage, such as vesicovaginal fistula (VVF), cervical cancer, and gender-based violence.

Enugu Governor’s Aides Align With APC Amid Defection Rumours

Case handed over to security agencies

The Commissioner said all those arrested have been transferred to security agencies for further investigation. Amarachi and a two-year-old child found in the household, whose mother has not yet been identified, have been placed in the custody of the ministry’s Head of Child Services.

Eni added that the state will take full responsibility for the girl’s welfare and education, and that she will be enrolled in school as part of the government’s rehabilitation plan.

She also thanked local authorities, including the Chairman of Igbo-Eze North LGA, Hon. Michael Ogalla, the constituency’s House of Assembly member, and the Chairman of the Enugu State Civil Service Commission, for their swift response.

The incident has drawn widespread condemnation across the community and online, with many Nigerians calling for stricter enforcement of existing child protection laws to prevent similar cases.