FG, LGAs renew marriage registration battle – TheNigerialawyer

The Ministry of Interior is currently undertaking a nationwide
engagement with relevant stakeholders to clear the air on the
controversies dogging the conduct of statutory marriage in the
country.

For some time now, the Ministry of Interior and some local
government areas in Lagos, Edo, Imo and Rivers States have been
locked in legal battles over the right to conduct, celebrate,
register marriages and issue marriage certificates.

The LGAs have insisted that their statutory powers to register
marriages are being usurped by the Federal Government through the
Ministry of Interior. For instance, Eti-Osa Local Government Area
of Lagos State is seeking a court order to take over the popular
Ikoyi Marriage Registry being operated by the Ministry of Interior,
on the contention that the Federal Government, through the Ministry
of Interior, has no business operating a marriage registry.

The stand-off between the Federal Government and the LGAs has
created confusion in the land as to which is valid between the
marriage certificate issued by the Ministry of Interior and that
issued by the LGAs.

It was, therefore, not surprising that the conference hall at
Sheraton Hotel in Lagos was filled to capacity last week Thursday
when the sensitisation train of the Ministry of Interior berthed in
Lagos.

At the conference with the theme, “Achieving harmonious
compliance with the conduct of statutory marriage in Nigeria,” the
stakeholders, including representatives of the LGAs, were eager to
know the true position of the law on who has the statutory powers
to conduct, celebrate, register marriages and issue marriage
certificates.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Mrs Georgina
Ehuriah, a lawyer, knew what was at stake and she took the issues
head-on.

Alluding to the raging controversy, Ehuriah began by explaining
that the stakeholders’ conference became necessary because there
was a need to address and lay to rest issues such as “The poor
understanding of the Marriage Act leading to non-adherence to its
provisions; the proliferation of marriage certificates and other
essential marriage documents; and the raging controversy between
local governments and the Ministry of Interior as to who is
constitutionally mandated with conduct of marriages leading to
litigation.”

Citing sections 24, 30(3) and 30 of the Marriage Act, Ehuriah
declared that only the Principal Registrar of Marriages was
authorised to print and distribute marriage certificate to places
of worship throughout Nigeria.

“The implication is that any certificate not printed by and
delivered by the Principal Registrar of Marriages is illegal and
cannot serve the desired purposes,” she stressed.

She noted that only 4,725 places of worship were licensed by the
Ministry of Interior to conduct marriages. Out of this number,
however, Ehuriah pointed out that only 314 had renewed their
licences. She advised the defaulting places of worship to do the
needful to avoid marriages being conducted by them to be
invalidated.

“The implication of this is that marriages conducted in
unlicensed places of worship are not in line with the Marriage Act
and cannot serve legal purposes when the need arises; and as such
unlicensed places of worship are operating contrary to Section 6(1)
of the Marriage Act,” Ehuriah stressed.

The Permanent Secretary, however, said that the Ministry of
Interior was willing and was already making arrangements to give
couples whose marriage certificates were not issued in line with
the Marriage Act opportunity to bring them to conformity.

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EFCC Arrests NYSC Corper and 30 Other Cyber
Fraudsters

EFCC Arrests NYSC Corper, Graduate for Internet
Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Lagos Zonal
office, has arrested the duo of Ademola Babajide Adeniyi, a serving
youth corps member, and Onabuke Adedokun Kenny, a graduate of the
North American University, for alleged Internet fraud.

The suspects were arrested on July 30, 2019 at Novojo Estate,
Sangotedo Ajah, Lagos, during a raid by operatives of the EFCC.

In his statement to the EFCC, the first suspect, Adeniyi, stated
that he collected six iphone 8 and 4 Apple laptops from his
unsuspecting victims, which he sold for over N1m (One Million
Naira).

Items found on the suspects at the point of arrest include
laptops, scam emails, pictures of some female victims, phones and a
2015 Honda Accord car.

In a related development, operatives of EFCC, Lagos Zonal
office, have arrested a suspected member of a syndicate of internet
fraudsters, Oriyomi Adeoye, in Lagos.

Adeoye was arrested on July 26, 2019 at Flanky Berry, Novojo
Estate, Sangotedo Ajah, Lagos, for his alleged involvement in
fraudulent activities and computer-related fraud.

Items found on him include Apple Laptops, scam emails, payment
slips, cashier cheques and several fraudulent documents.

The suspects will be charged to court soon.

Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity
……………………………………………………..

EFCC Arrests 29 Suspected Cyber Criminals in
Ibadan
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibadan zonal
office, on Wednesday, August 7, 2019 arrested 29 men suspected to
be involved in internet-related fraud.

The suspects were arrested at Akoto Estate, Elebu area in Ibadan
during an early morning raid carried out by operatives of the
Commission.

Earlier, the team had conducted series of surveillance, working
on strings of intelligence gathered on the activities of the
suspected ‘Yahoo Boys’.

The preliminary investigation was found to be credible, leading
to the sting operation.

Among the items recovered from the suspects are eight exotic
cars, many costly phones and laptops, as well as documents
suspected to be used for their illicit dealings.

They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are
concluded.

Tony Orilade
Ag. Head, Media & Publicity