A 17-year-old girl, Fatima B, has appealed to the Niger State Child Right Protection Agency to dissolve her one-month-old marriage to 35-year-old Salihu M.
Fatima said that she was no longer in love with her husband, and also wants the marriage dissolved because she wanted to further her education.
“I was given in marriage to Salihu by my family, who thought I will have a better life with him. I do not want this marriage; I do not love this man. I want a divorce because I want to go to school, and it is only when I am divorced that I can return to school,” she said.
But her husband, Salihu, said that he married his wife legally, and with the consent of her family.
“At first, my wife was happy with the marriage, until she suddenly changed her mind and opted for a divorce. I still love my wife and I want to spend my life with her, but if she wants a divorce, I have no objection. I cannot force her to remain in the union,” he said.
The Director-General of the NCRPA, Maryam Kolo, showered Fatima with praise for having the courage to seek for divorce, and gave a two-week ultimatum for the dissolution of the marriage.
“If you fail to do so within the two weeks, the NCRPA will file for divorce on Fatima’s behalf in a Sharia Court,” she said.
Kolo also warned parents to desist from giving out their daughters early for marriage.
