From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

A 12-year-old minor, who was allegedly deceived into marriage by her family, in Benue State, has been rescued by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons (NAPTIP).

Daily Sun gathered that the young girl, who is yet to attain the teen age, was deceived into marrying a 50-year-old farmer as his third wife by her family, a few months ago.

It was further gathered that when the girl was being taken to the supposed husband’as house, she thought she was being brought to town for schooling, only for her to discover on reaching the man’s house that she had been brought to him as his third wife.

Related News

Ukan Kurugh said a human rights activist in Benue state, who was one of those that first broke the news about the girl’s predicament on the social media, the NAPTIP, was alerted and the girl was rescued from the man’s house in Adaka, Makurdi, early hours of yesterday.

Speaking by telephone to newsmen yesterday, the NAPTIP Commander, Makurdi Zonal Command, Mrs Gloria Bai, who confirmed the rescue of the young girl, said preliminary investigation revealed that she had been in the forced marriage for about three months and the man had been abusing her.

Bai explained further that the girl had been rescued and currently in protective custody with NAPTIP, while efforts were in top gear to arrest the man.

The NAPTIP Zonal boss assured that the agency will carry out an in depth investigation, to know what the allegation is and how the girl came to be in his house.