The International Police Organization (INTERPOL) has stepped into the raging controversy over the marriage of an Egyptian minor by former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima.

Specifically, the INTERPOL has contacted the Nigerian authorities to furnish it with relevant information on the matter.

In Nigeria, the issue has taken a legal dimension with a suit filed by the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria against the National Human Rights, Commission (NHRC), the Senate President, David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole.

In the suit filed by Suleiman Abdulkadir (SAN), the group is calling for the abolition of the Child Rights Act, 2003 and said Senator Yerima, its pioneer member, had the right under Islamic laws to marry a minor as allowed by the Quran and tradition authorized by Prophet Mohammed.
Yerima, who is now a serving Senator was accused of taking an underaged girl from Egypt as a wife, contrary to sections 21, 22 and 23 of the Child Rights Act, 2003.
The marriage attracted national and international condemnation, as well as protests by women’s groups at the National Assembly.

At the home front, the embattled senator had severally been quizzed by officials of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic In Persons and Other Related Matters (NAPTIP) which had since submitted its recommendations for prosecution of the case to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice. A statement by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs and Communications, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Lambert Oparah, said Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr. Roland Ewubare, had received a letter from INTERPOL on the subject matter.

According to the statement, “the letter signed by the General Counsel, Joel Sollier, INTERPOL thanked the Commission for bringing the matter to the attention of the organization.
“INTERPOL posited that its General Secretariat had carefully considered the child rights issues raised in the matter by the NHR C, especially the worldwide pedophile alert raised in respect of the matter. It stated that the issue had been transmitted to competent police directorates within the General Secretariat for appropriate follow up.”

In the suit against NAPTIP and the National Assembly, the Sharia group prayed the court to stop the NHRC and the National Assembly from taking steps, decisions and actions against Yerima with respect to the said marriage.
It contended that Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution guaranteed and protected every citizen (including members of the group), his family members, among others, against invasion, intrusion or interference by anybody, group of persons or institutions.

The group was also asking for a declaration that Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution guaranteed and protected every citizen’s right to practice, propagate and manifest the doctrine of his religion either individually or in community with others and privately or in public, without hindrance by any person, group of persons or institutions.

Besides, they were pressing for a declaration that the act of the National Human Rights Commission by writing a petition to the President of the Senate against the acts of marital relationship of Senator Yerima to an Egyptian girl, amounted to an infringement and invasion, contravening the applicant’s and its members’ right to privacy and family together with their right to practice, propagate and manifest the doctrine of their religion as enshrined in Sections 37 and 38 of the 1999 Constitution.

The group was also seeking a declaration that the NHRC, by placing reliance on Section 21 Child Rights Act, 2003 for the basis of writing a petition to the leadership of the National Assembly, was clearly in conflict with Sections 37 and 38 of the same Constitution.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2010/july/30/national-07-30-2010-008.htm

I just hope he has not touched the poor girl.

^^^^ Haba, don't you see his beards like that of a He-goat? Do you think the He-goat knows the difference between his mama, his sister and his daughter? All na food for his knacking pleasure .

bgees:

I just hope he has not touched the poor girl.

HA. Touch ke. That guy done dismantle the abuna tey tey.

May God deliver children from such monsters