A 60-year-old man, Aminu Danmaliki, alleged to have married an 11-year-old girl in Kano State, said his wife is 21 years old.
Nigerians had condemned the man after images of their wedding went viral on social media.
Many had berated him saying that underage girls should be protected rather than married off to old men.
Reacting, Danmaliki in a post on his Facebook page on Wednesday said they both love each other and she was not forced to marry him.
“My recent marriage with Sakina has generated a lot of tension and unfounded allegations that I married an underage girl. Some suggested she is 11 years old and that she was forced to marry me. That is untrue.
“The wedding video went viral. We decided to keep mute but were advised to state the true facts. Here it is: My beloved wife is 21 years old. She made her own choice of me as her husband, and I loved her too.
“I hope the blackmailers and doubting Thomases will see the reality in this picture and leave us alone to enjoy our honeymoon,” he wrote
