Human rights activists fear lack of protection for young girls
The first Governor to introduce sharia law into a Nigerian State (Zamfara, in 2000), now a Senator, has succeeded in stopping the removal of a clause from Nigeria's Constitution, which critics say remains a loophole, through which marriage of under-age girls remains possible under sharia law.
It happened during the Nigerian Senate's debate on 16 July of amendments drawn up by the Constitution Review Committee, which seeks to update the country's 1999 Constitution, whose long-promised overhaul to recognise a changing Nigeria had been promised by the end of June.
The clause was in fact one which says that any married woman is recognised 'of age' to be able to give up their Nigerian citizenship. (This has been the subject of many memoranda from women's groups in the past because it discriminates and recognises under-18 marriage).
The victory for keeping the status quo was won by Senator Ahmad Sani Yerima, a controversial Muslim figure.
His critics argue that his victory leaves a loophole through which under-age marriage could be allowed. Nigeria at present, however, continues to hold that 18 is when a child becomes 'of age'. Read more
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