Nigeria, Aug. 31 -- The Ebonyi State Government has ordered an "aggressive intensified campaign" against endemic child marriage incidence in Ebonyi State after a PREMIUM TIMES' investigation.

In March, PREMIUM TIMES published a two-part investigation which documented endemic child marriage incidence in the South-eastern state, especially in Izzi and Ebonyi Local Government Areas.

Apart from Ebonyi State, the investigation also uncovered a cruel and customary practice of money marriage in Becheve, a community in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria's south-south.

Under this illegal customary practice, underage girls and those yet to be born are sold into marriage in exchange for money or goats, food items, or jus...