Nigeria: Anti-human trafficking agency says it lacks evidence against senator with child bride

Published November 17, 2014

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria's anti-human trafficking agency says it lacks enough evidence to criminally charge a senator who allegedly took a child bride.

In a statement Monday, the National Agency for Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters said it had concluded its investigation against Sen. Ahmad Sani Yerima. The agency said Yerima may have violated the nation's child rights laws, though Nigeria's attorney general has to file that criminal case against him.

The 49-year-old senator allegedly married the 13-year-old Egyptian daughter of his driver earlier this year after paying a $100,000 dowry.

Yerima's alleged marriage has sparked fierce controversy between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria, a nation of 150 million split almost in half by the two faiths.

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