The controversial marriage of Nigerian Senator, Ahmed Yerima, to a minor from Egypt continues to draw attention and now the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) is reported to have asked Nigeria's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) for information on the Senator's marriage to a minor.
A spokesperson for NHRC said a letter from INTERPOL said, "The worldwide pedophile alert raised in respect of Senator Yerima's controversial marriage to the Egyptian under-aged girl has been transmitted to competent Police Directorate within the Secretariat for appropriate follow up."
Senator Yerima had been investigated by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) over his alleged marriage to an under-aged girl from Egypt which would be contrary to Nigeria's Child Rights Act of 2003. A preliminary report conducted by NAPTIP said that Senator Yerima was guilty of the allegations and should be prosecuted by the office of the Attorney General. The NAPTIP report said, “The senator not only held our law with disdain, but encouraged foreigners to break same.'
The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria has also filed a lawsuit against the NHRC, NAPTIP and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, in support of Senator Yerima.
Senator Yerima is said to have moved his wedding to the minor from Egypt to Nigeria to avoid Egyptian laws which prohibit marriage to minors or between people with 25 years difference in age. Enforcement of child rights laws are very lax in Nigeria. The father of the girl was also said to have been paid a $100,000 dowry by the Nigerian senator.
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