LAGOS, Nigeria: In northern Nigeria, 1,500 couples have tied the knot at a mass wedding organised by the state, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
The two-day ceremony in Kano State was aimed at people who, for financial reasons, would otherwise struggle to afford a wedding.
According to the regional government, each bride received a dowry of 200,000 naira (approx. RM601.25) as well as support to set up a small business. The couples were also given household items such as beds, mattresses, and blankets.
Before the wedding, the couples underwent screening and received counselling. This is the second time that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has organised a mass wedding of this kind.
The government describes the programme as part of its social policy to support low-income families and promote social stability. Among the newlyweds are also people who have lost their families in violent attacks.
Violent attacks occur regularly in Nigeria, particularly in the north of the country, where schoolchildren are often systematically abducted.
Armed groups, including the militant group Boko Haram as well as criminal gangs, frequently demand large ransoms.
As recently as Wednesday, the Nigerian Government announced the release of 308 people. Some 163 of them had been abducted in February in Kwara State, whilst the remaining 145 were from the neighbouring state of Niger.
However, at least 25 children are reported to have died during their captivity due to poor hygiene conditions, whilst at least 12 are believed to have been recruited by Boko Haram.
Boko Haram has been active in Nigeria for 17 years. While it carries out attacks primarily in northeastern Nigeria, it has recently expanded its activities to central Nigeria as well.
The most well-known case is the abduction of 276 schoolgirls from a school in Chibok in 2014, the fate of whom caused worldwide horror. – BERNAMA-dpa
