Former governor of Zamfara State, Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, has defended his marriage to a 15-year-old girl, stating that he has no regrets about the union.
In an interview on Channels Television, Yerima dismissed claims that his wife was 13 when they got married and emphasized that Sharia law allowed him to marry her at the age they did.
Yerima also revealed that some of his daughters had married before reaching the age of 18. He argued that people often fail to understand that regret stems from engaging in illegal activities outside the bounds of the law. According to him, Sharia law, which is enshrined in the Nigerian constitution, permits marriage once a girl is considered of age, regardless of the specific age in question.
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The former governor further explained that the age of the person involved is not the determining factor; instead, Sharia law provides clear guidelines for defining when a girl is considered of age.
Yerima pointed out that many of his daughters had married at a young age and were leading successful lives with their families. He proudly highlighted that all of them had graduated from university, and even his daughter, who was married at the age of 16, was pursuing a PhD in London.
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Yerima’s comments have sparked debate and raised concerns about child marriage, as many argue that it infringes upon the rights and well-being of young girls.
Child marriage is a subject of ongoing global discussions aimed at protecting children, particularly girls, from early and forced marriages, and ensuring access to education and opportunities for their personal development.
