A Child rights advocacy group in Bayelsa, DO Foundation has described the Dec. 26, traditional marriage between a 4-year-old ‘bride’ and a 54- year- old man at Akeddei community in Sagbama Local Government Area of the state as horrendous, despicable, and a criminal activity.
DO Foundation, in a statement in Yenagoa, described the marriage as illegal, criminal and a child marriage which is against the constitution and the Child Rights Act.
The statement was signed by Mr Elvis Mannie, Bayelsa Chairperson of DO Foundation.
According to the civil society group, the act is capable of retarding the giant strides made by the government and people of Bayelsa in the area of protection of child rights.”
DO foundation noted that the Child’s Right Law was domesticated in the state in 2016 and is still in force in Bayelsa.
”This law criminalises child marriages and child betrothals prescribing various terms of imprisonment and heavy fines,” the foundation noted.
The foundation called on the Bayelsa government, the Gender Response Initiative Team and all stakeholders in the gender response system to immediately swing into action to respond appropriately.
