Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State.

Mrs. Fatima Madugu, Commissioner for Education in Niger, has cautioned parents against marrying off their daughters at very danger ages because of the numerous dangers associated with that.

Madugu, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Minna, identified Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF), disease as one of the major effects of early marriage.

The commissioner stressed the need for increased campaigns to sensitise parents against early marriage, warning that the Niger government would prosecute parents who withdrew their girls from school for early marriage.

“We have always taken up cases of withdrawal of the female child for marriage by parents or guardians seriously.

“We always take the culprits to court because we believe that such attitude is a breach on the Child Rights’ Act,” she said.

Madugu, however, said that in some cases where the marriage had been consummated, the women were usually enrolled into school to continue their education.

“That they are married should not be the end of their education. We usually insist that their husbands must integrate them back into the school system to continue with their education to enable contribute to societal growth.”

The commissioner, however, expressed concern that in spite of the campaigns, some parents had refused to change, adding that the state had lost massive human capital because the girls were not allowed to make it to tertiary institutions.

While warning parents against the practice, Madugu commended the wife of the governor, Dr. Amina Bello, for organising various sensitisation programmes on VVF and its consequences.