A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has declared that it is unconstitutional for the Federal Government to conduct marriages, declaring as illegal and invalid all solemnisation of unions at the Ikoyi marriage registry.
The court, presided over by Justice D. E. Osiagor, held that only the local government marriage registries were empowered to do such by the provisions of the constitution.
The judge added that the acts of the Federal Government through the Ministry of Interior, operating marriage registries was beyond their powers.
He consequently ordered the closure of all federal marriage registries opened by the ministry, including that of Ikoyi marriage registry with immediate effect.