Police Arrest Woman For Niece’s Refusal To Marry Arranged Husband
There was a mild drama at the Ojodu Police Division, Lagos State on Saturday
over the arrest of a woman, Mrs. Joy Idenyi, by two policemen from the Bauchi
State Police Command.
Idenyi’s arrest was prompted by a warrant from a Bauchi Magistrate’s Court B
for the alleged abduction of her niece, Patience Joseph. Patience’s father,
Joseph, had reportedly made an application to that effect.
While waiting for the policemen to complete the paper work at Ojodu, Joy said
that she received a call around 10am on Saturday from her neighbours
that her husband, Shuaibu, had been arrested.
She said, “When I got the call that my husband had been taken to the Ojodu Police
Station. I rushed down there to discover that Patience’s father was
there. The policemen had come with a warrant for my arrest – for allegedly
abducting Patience
Denying the claim, Joy said Patience had fled to Lagos sometime last year.
She said, “Patience came to me because she did not want to marry the man that
her parents had arranged for her and I tried to help as best as I could.”
Programme Officer for Project Alert on Violence Against Women, a
non-governmental organisation, Tobi Ashekun said that the body was aware of
the matter.
She said, “We have been on this case for almost a year. The first time we met
Patience was in March 2013. After fleeing her home in Bauchi, her aunt, Joy,
brought her to our office. She told us that she had not turned 18 and that she
was being forced to marry someone her father had picked out for her.
“The matter was reported at the Ojodu Police Division, but while Patience was
still with Joy, her mother travelled down from Bauchi and took Patience away.”
It was gathered that Patience eventually married the man picked for her.
However, a few days after the marriage, Patience again fled her matrimonial
home to Lagos.
Ashekun said, “We invited Patience’s parents and her husband for a meeting in
Lagos. Patience told them she had no interest in the marriage. She said she
wanted to further her education instead.
“Her parents wanted her to go back with them, but she refused. So we told the
parents that until they could sign an undertaking with Lagos State Child
Welfare, promising not to force her to marry the man, Patience would not be
released to them. Presently Patience is at a safe location; she has not been
abducted.”
Project Alert’s Lawyer, Mr. Benjamin Okweu, condemned the arrest, saying the
facts must have been misrepresented before the court.
He said, “The father who made this application had sworn an affidavit that
Patience was 18 years old at the time she was married. Now for that same man
to turn around and say the same girl has been abducted by her aunt is
mischievous.
“If indeed Patience is an adult, then she has the right to leave home.
Patience has told us that she was 17 at the time she was married. We intend to
file an application before the Federal High Court Lagos for the dissolution of
that marriage.”
A copy of the warrant made available to PUNCH Metro read that Joy was charged
with abduction contrary to sections 272 and 273 of the penal code.
Joy, accompanied by two policemen, eventually left the Ojodu Police Station
around 4pm for Bauchi. She left in company with her one-year-old baby.
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