Following the controversial marriage between the Emir of Katsina and his 14-year-old child bride, the Katsina Emirate Council has declared that the marriage cannot be reversed.
Speaking on the marriage between the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumin Usman and the 14-year-old girl, Habiba Isa, the council maintained that the marriage along with the conversion to Islam by the child bride were voluntary.
The council made this known to the Christian Association of Nigeria who visited the Emir at his palace.
Recall that the family of Isiyaku Tanko of Warkaza community in the Kudun Kankara Local Government Area had raised alarm that the Emir of Katsina forcefully abducted their 14-year-old daughter and forced her into marriage.
The family further alleged that the child bride was abducted on August 16, 2016 by an aide of the Emir identified as Jamilu Lawal.
The family continued that Habiba would have returned to school after she had successfully pass her Junior Secondary School Certificate Examination.
The child bride is expected to clock 15 on October 15, 2016.
The Katsina state CAN Chairman, Very Rev. Nelson Ugochukwu however noted that the marriage between the emir and the child bride lacked her parents’ consent.
He added: “This girl (Isa) standing before us is 14 years. She is supposed to be in school and not given out in marriage.
“We are not pleased and we demand justice. Her parents are in Abuja, crying for justice. In my religion, you cannot give out any lady in marriage without the consent of her parents. This marriage does not have the consent of this little girl’s parent. The parents are not happy with what has happened.
“As the CAN chairman in Katsina, I am the father of all Christians in the state. Our people are not happy. The parents told me that the girl is 14 years. She is supposed to be in school. I want justice to be done in this matter. I want the emirate to look into the matter. To us, the girl is still a Christian.”