15-year-old flees Plateau to escape child marriage

On Thursday, a 15-year-old girl fled her home town in Plateau State to Ekiti State to escape a marriage which was organised by her own father, TopNaija reports.

The Publicity Secretary of the Federation of Women Lawyers in Ekiti State, Lola Aluko, said the minor fled on Thursday, September 17, 2020, to stay with her brother, identified as Adamu, to avoid the marriage.

Aluko, in a statement titled, ‘Teenager flees home in an attempt to escape child marriage’ and made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti on Monday, said the victim later reported at the group’s office on September 22.

She said, “Calls were put through to her brother, requesting him to be present at a scheduled meeting on September 23, 2020. The girl was then taken to a secret home (a FIDA shelter) to spend the night.

“On the day of the scheduled meeting, the minor was brought from the home to FIDA’s office. Her brother, Adamu, came and from the information he gave, their father had effected the arrest of a man in Plateau State, claiming that the man sponsored her trip to Ekiti.

“Even though the man was released the following day, the girl’s father threatened to re-arrest the said man if she did not return to Plateau State on Monday, September 28, 2020.

“FIDA swung into action, called the National Human Rights Commission, Ekiti State branch, which then linked us with the Plateau branch. We called the Plateau branch, gave them a summary of the case and we were assured that they would take up the case and ensure that the man is safe.

“Her brother was made to sign an undertaking that the minor will report at our office every Wednesday by 12pm for counselling,” Alao stated.