Authorities in Bauchi State have arrested a group of minors over an alleged illegal marriage ceremony in which a bride price of just N3,000 was reportedly paid, in a case that has sparked fresh concerns over child protection and declining social safeguards.
The suspects, which include the purported bride and groom, were on Thursday presented before the Bauchi State Action Committee on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, chaired by the wife of the state governor, Aisha Bala Mohammed.
Security operatives from the Bauchi State Vigilante and Youth Empowerment Agency, working alongside the Bauchi State Police Command, carried out the arrests. Also detained were individuals alleged to have attended the ceremony, an imam said to have officiated the union, and a teenage girl accused of posing as the bride’s mother.
Speaking on the incident, the Commander of Hisbah, Mohammed Mohammed Bununu, described the arrangement as unlawful, stressing that the father of the purported bride had denied any knowledge of the union.
He warned that the state would not tolerate such practices, adding that the incident reflected a breakdown of parental supervision and moral responsibility in parts of society.
According to Bununu, preliminary findings indicated that no legitimate consent or formal approval was obtained before the ceremony was conducted, making it a violation of established legal and moral frameworks governing marriage.
In her reaction, Aisha Bala Mohammed attributed the development to a mix of poverty, parental negligence, and weakening moral values, warning that such incidents were becoming more frequent in vulnerable communities.
She urged parents and guardians to take greater responsibility for the upbringing of their children, stressing the need for stronger religious and ethical guidance within households.
The governor’s wife also linked the trend to poor family planning practices and the increasing abandonment of children, calling for broader community intervention to prevent similar occurrences.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing, while the suspects are expected to face further questioning as the committee determines appropriate sanctions and safeguarding measures.
FOLLOW US
FOR MORE HERE
