Uju Kennedy-Ohanenye, minister of women affairs, says the planned marriage of 100 girls in Niger state has been suspended.
Kennedy-Ohanenye spoke in Abuja on Friday after meeting with Abdulmalik Sarkindaji, speaker of the Niger state house of assembly.
The meeting was also attended by Mohammed Mu’azu, Emir of Kotangora.
Sarkindaji had last week said he would sponsor the wedding ceremony of the girls on May 24 as part of his constituency obligations.
The development sparked controversy on social media, with many saying the speaker should have channelled the money into giving the girls an education or skills.
On Monday, Kennedy-Ohanenye stepped into the matter and asked the speaker to halt his plans or face legal action.
The minister said she had petitioned the inspector-general of police (IGP) and sought a court injunction to stop the planned wedding.
Sarkindaji subsequently cancelled his participation in the event and asked the minister to take over.
The speaker said the parents and guardians of the girls, most of whom are orphans, could do whatever they wished with the resources he had provided.
