CITIZENS COMPASS– A viral video has caught the attention of many viewers wherein a young girl was being forced into marriage.
The video appeared to be filmed from the wedding ceremony of the girl being forced into a car to be transported to the man’s house.
The video was accompanied with a caption, “Ten-year-old girl being forced to marry a 60-year-old man.
In the viral footage, the visibly distressed bride was seen crying under her veil and resisting attempts to enter the vehicle meant to take her to her husband’s home. Despite her resistance, many adults—speaking in Kanuri—were seen pushing her into the car. At one point, a man lifted her and placed her inside the vehicle, while another woman quickly sat beside her to prevent her from escaping. The bride’s cries continued even as the car door was shut.
The video has triggered an outpouring of reactions from Nigerians online, many of whom believe the girl is a minor being forced into marriage, possibly against her will.
“This is force marriage,” tweeted @IgboanuE. Another user, @kaymicky007, said bluntly, “She’s a minor. You people need to stop this.”
Other users expressed concern about cultural practices being used to justify coercion. “This is what the Hausa call auren dole (forced marriage), it is so obvious here,” said @okochajoy2010. Another, @Impregnabilis, added, “She is being forced to go where she doesn’t want to go… based on antecedents, it will likely be child marriage.”
The reactions weren’t just emotional—they also called attention to legal and moral questions. “Forced marriages shouldn’t be a culture tolerated by Nigerian law,” @Patoslam2 argued. “She’s going to be miserable for the rest of her life.”
Some also criticized the community members in the video. @O\_sley remarked, “This child is clearly not happy, but instead of helping her, you are ululating just to drown out her cries.”
A few commenters speculated that poverty may have played a role. “Try and make money so your daughters don’t see shege for a bag of rice and ₦25,000,” @patrickowoichoi lamented.
While the full context of the video remains unclear—including the age of the bride, the consent behind the marriage, or whether it was officially sanctioned—many are calling on authorities, especially child protection agencies like the National Agency For The Prohibition Of Trafficking In Persons ((NAPTPI) to investigate the matter immediately.
—G-W-G
