Nigeria Content Online

Ahmed
Sanni Yerima may soon be arraigned in court for alleged child abuse and
marriage to a minor. The former governor, who is now a senator, may be
prosecuted over his marriage to an Egyptian minor, a 14-year old school
girl, Eladly Maryam Maged Saleh.

NEXT investigation
in Abuja showed that the federal government is currently studying a
report which detailed the offences of Mr. Yerima. Sources at the
Ministry of Justice headquarters in Abuja disclosed that the report
recommending the prosecution of the senator, is ready for the approval
of federal government.

The Minister of
Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke,
told our correspondent in his office yesterday that the file has been
returned to him to properly advice the government.

Mr. Adoke had
before directed our reporter to the office of the Solicitor-General of
the Federation and Permanent Secretary of the ministry, whom he said
was handling the investigative report submitted by the National Agency
for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters
(NAPTIP).

Attorney General breaks silence

Yesterday, the
minister said, “I cannot answer your question right now. This is the
file on my table (he raises the file for the journalist to see). I am
reading it with a view to working on it and aligning it with the
position of the Constitution..” Explaining his position, Mr. Adoke
said: “The issue is that the man who contracted the marriage said he
did so under the Islamic rites, which is at variance with the
Constitution. The Constitution, on the other hand, recognises marriages
under the Marriage Act and Customary Laws. So, as the chief law officer
of the country, I have the duty to read the report and align it with
the position of the Constitution, which supersedes any other law and
which I swore to uphold. I am still in the process of doing that. As
soon as I finish doing that I will let you know. But I will not act
against the Constitution by playing to the gallery just because I want
to become a hero in the eyes of the public.”

According to
NAPTIP, and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Yerima’s
marriage breached Sections 21, 22 and 23 of the Child Rights Act, 2003.

The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria has sued the NHRC and NAPTIP over the matter asking the court to stop his prosecution.

However, sources at
the Ministry of Justice say he will still be prosecuted irrespective of
what comes out of the case by the Sharia council because he clearly
breached some of the laws of the country.

The case, which is
presently being heard before Justice Adamu Bello, president of Court 5
of the Abuja High Court, has been adjourned for hearing.

International investigation

The case has
already attracted the attention of some international organisations
including the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL),
which General Counsel, Joel Sollier, last week contacted its national
central bureau in Lagos for relevant information.

According to legal
experts, one of the issues that is central to INTERPOL’s interest is
the possible link to terrorism of the family of the under-aged girl,
whose father was found in possessing of two different international
passports.

A copy of the
NAPTIP investigative report obtained by NEXT revealed that the girl’s
father, Maged Saleh Mohammed Eladly, who is a driver to Mr. Yerima, had
two Egyptian passports: A01086511, issued on 17/10/2009 in Egypt, valid
till 16/10/2016 and A01403462, issued on 07/03/2010 in Egypt, valid
till 06/03/2017.

Recommendation for Yerima’s prosecution

According to the
report, “The first passport issued in 2009 has the father’s profession
as workman while the second passport issued in 2010 referred to his
profession as export and import office owner.” Miss Eladly, a
14-year-old student with passport number: A01385736 issued in Egypt on
February 28, 2010, was born on January 9, 1996 in Kalyobiya, Egypt and
was accompanied in her marriage to 49-year-old Mr. Yerima by her
father, ten relations and many well-wishers – 58 in all- sponsored by
the senator who paid $100, 000 dowry or Sadaqi on the girl.

The marriage was
conducted by the Chief Imam of the Central Mosque, Abuja with a general
form of sworn affidavit deposited at the Sharia Court of Appeal, Abuja.

The report before
the justice minister notes that, “Senator Ahmed Rufai Sani Yerima’s
action contravenes Sections 12 (a & b), 13 (1 & 2), 14 (1) and
17 (a & b) of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Law
Enforcement and Administration Act 2003 as amended. His refusal to
disclose the age of the minor (victim), the school she attends, and her
class amounts to willful obstruction of lawful enquiry contrary to
Section 58 (A & B) of TIP Act.

His refusal to
disclose the exact amount of money paid as dowry is with intention to
deceive the agency (NAPTIP) by using Islam as a cover up. The above
section could be invoked as an offence under the Act which he is liable
on conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 5 years as the
case may be. The Senator also breaches Sections 21, 22 and 23 of the
Child Rights Act 2003, which is operational in FCT and liable on
conviction to a fine of ₦500, 000.00 or imprisonment for a term of five
years or both.”

Considering that
Mr. Yerima was also alleged to have encouraged foreigners to breach the
laws of Nigeria, raising the need to share intelligence with the
government of Egypt, the Nigeria Police was urged to join in the
prosecution. Asked what the police was doing on its end, the Public
Relations Officer, Nigeria Police Force, Abuja, Emmanuel Ojukwu, said
the police do not have to duplicate the duties of NAPTIP, which is in
charge of the case.