A fifteen - year-old girl has fled from her village in Plateau State to Ekiti State to escape a marriage allegedly organised by her father.
The
revelation was made in a statement released by the Publicity Secretary of the
Federation of Women Lawyers in Ekiti State, Lola Aluko.
Aluko said
the teenager fled her hometown on Thursday, September 17, 2020, to stay with
her brother identified as Adamu.
The statement
read;
‘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.
“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."
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