The Enugu State Government has annulled an underage marriage involving a teenage girl, identified as Amarachi, and an adult man in Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze North Local Government Area, following public outcry after the case surfaced on social media.
Commissioner for Gender, Women and Children Affairs, Ngozi Eni, said the state moved immediately to stop the “illegal and harmful union,” which officials confirmed had already been consummated. She said the ministry invited the families for questioning to determine why a minor was given out in marriage despite the health, psychological, and legal risks.
According to the ministry, the families ignored the invitation, prompting officials to work with law enforcement to arrest all parties involved. Those taken into custody include Amarachi’s parents, the groom, his parents, and the matchmaker, identified as Mrs. Patience, a native doctor who reportedly claimed she was unaware that child marriage is a criminal offence.
The ministry said Amarachi told officials in a private interview that she was forced into the marriage and had never been enrolled in school. It added that the groom’s mother admitted she sought a wife for her only son but provided no justification for choosing a minor.
Officials briefed the families on the Child Rights Law and penalties for child marriage, and educated them on the dangers of early marriage, including the risk of vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) and cervical cancer. The suspects have been handed over to security agencies for further investigation.
The ministry also took custody of Amarachi and a two-year-old child found at the residence, whose mother has not yet been identified.
Commissioner Eni reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring Amarachi receives education and rehabilitation. She commended the Chairman of Igbo-Eze North LGA, the constituency’s House of Assembly member, and the Chairman of the Enugu State Civil Service Commission for their swift support in the intervention.
