Prevalence of forced marriages even as there are several enlightenment programmes targeted at discouraging it is one of the major concerns of Universal Civil Rights Movement (UCRM), a non-governmental organisation.

UCRM, which focuses on family rights, said the phenomenon of forced marriage has resulted in many tragedies in the past few years as more and more girls have begun to resist the practice.

Director of Information, UCRM, Fred Ojie, made the group's position known while speaking with Saturday Independent on the pathetic story of one Ima-Amina Abubakar, aged 17, from Zamfara State, who fled home recently in protest against her uncle's decision to give her hand in marriage to someone she considered too old for her.

According to Ojie, Ima-Amina later got pregnant out of wedlock in the home where she took refuge resulting to a series of tragic incidents.

He added that the house of the man that impregnated her was burnt by angry Muslim youths over what they said was sacrilegious.

Fornication attracts death penalty in Sharia legal system.

Ima-Amina, who later fled the state, is now under the care of UCRM.

The UCRM's spokesman said his organisation has been involved in enlightenment campaign in the last few years to change the practice of forced marriage.

"We are trying to make families, especially those in the northern part of the country realise the importance of girl education," he said, adding: "These are changing times and people have to realise this."

He, however, said the organisation will soon flag off another major campaign in the North.