The Ekye Peace and Unity Forum in Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State has raised an alarm on increasing cases of girl-child marriage in the community.
Chairman of the Forum, Mr Godspower Ede, raised the alarm at a peace summit on Thursday in Lafia.
According to Ede, in spite of campaign against child marriage, “some parents in Ekye still engage in the act”.
He also said that there were increasing cases of out-of-school children in the area and appealed to parents to prioritise their children education.
Ede stated that the forum would soon embark on campaign in the four electoral wards of the Ekye to sensitise the people to the dangers of child marriage.
“It is our hope that at the end of our assignment, we will be able to unite our people regardless of political, religious and cultural differences.
“We can develop a strong leadership structure that will be the voice of Ekye people anywhere in the world.
“We will be able to reduce unnecessary tension and acrimony associated with our political activities, bearing in mind that political contest is not a do or die affair,’’ Ede said
He appealed to residents of the area seeking elective positions in 2023 to see themselves as brothers and sisters and shun hostility.
In his remarks, Dr Nawani Aboki, the chairman of the summit, commended the forum for its effort to ensure peace in the area.
Also, Gov. Abdullahi Sule of the state, lauded the group for the forum for its effort to maintain the peace in the area.
Sule, who was represented by Mr Nicholas Abari, Head of Civil Service in the state, pledged to support any group that is interested in complementing the peace effort of the state government.