Yerima responded to the argument that marrying underage girls violates their right to education by saying, "Marriage does not stop anyone from getting educated, that is if you don't allow them to continue with their education." When asked about the educational progress of the girl he married in 2010, Yerima confidently replied, "Yes, she is doing her Master's Degree now." He went on to boast about his daughter, who was married at 16, stating that she is pursuing a PhD and equating the ages of 16 and 14 as being essentially the same.
Dismissing the Child Rights Act, Yerima described it as a law that was manipulated and passed by the National Assembly but has not been domesticated by any states in Northern Nigeria. He argued that unless the State assemblies domesticate and pass the law, it does not hold any legal weight. According to Yerima, the act was pushed through by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, but he believes that no state in the North has adopted or passed it as a law.
Yerima further defended his actions by claiming that if he had done anything wrong, he would have been taken to court. He mentioned that the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) considered trying the case but eventually dropped it, suggesting that he had not committed any wrongdoing.
The practice of marrying underage girls remains a contentious issue, with proponents arguing for cultural and religious justifications, while critics emphasise the violation of human rights and the negative impact on girls' education, health, and overall well-being.