Ondo Police Rescue 15-Year-Old from Forced Marriage, Arrest Suspects

On Tuesday, September 2, 2025, police detectives in Ondo State rescued a 15-year-old girl from a forced marriage to 52-year-old Asere Sunday, alias “Santo,” in Idoani, Ose Local Government Area, following a tip-off from a community leader, as reported by Vanguard and The Punch (Web:3, Web:5). The operation, prompted by intelligence of potential unrest from local youths opposing the marriage, led to the arrests of Asere Sunday, his 22-year-old son Asere Kehinde, and the girl’s father, Ayoola Sunday, who allegedly accepted payment for his daughter (Web:3). The teenager was taken to the Reference Hospital in Akure for medical examination and care (Web:5).

During interrogation, Asere Sunday confessed to arranging the marriage and offering financial inducements to Ayoola, who cited poverty as his motive (Web:3, Web:10). Ondo State Police Commissioner Adebowale Lawal condemned the incident as “child abuse and exploitation,” vowing zero tolerance for child marriage and gender-based violence (Web:3). The suspects remain in custody and face prosecution, with Lawal emphasizing that such acts violate Nigeria’s Child Rights Act, which sets the minimum marriage age at 18 (Web:5, Web:13). X posts from @OndoPoliceNG (September 2, 2025) detailed the rescue, while @Naija_Activist noted 82% public support for stricter enforcement against child marriage, citing a 2025 UNICEF report that 43% of Nigerian girls are married before 18 (Post:3). The intervention averted a potential clash and underscores ongoing efforts to combat child exploitation in Nigeria (Web:3, Web:15).