Governor Umar Bago of Niger State
By Stephen Ojo
Offenders of gender violence in Niger State risk three years jail term or N200, 000 fine for anyone could culpable of wife physical battery of partner following the enactment of a law against such practice by the state government.
The Director, Planning Research and Statistics, Niger State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Mary Yisa stated this in Minna Tuesday while speaking with journalists on a robust legal policy and institutional frameworks for addressing Gender Based Violence (GBV) in the state.
According to her, “the law also include sexual violence, domestic or Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), trafficking, forced and/or early marriage, and other traditional practices that might cause harm”.
She further explained, ” the SEASH broadly encompasses physical, sexual, economic, psychological/emotional abuse/violence including threats and coercion, and harmful practices that occur between individuals either at place of work, within families and in the community, at large”.
The Director said subsisting laws include the Violence Against Person Prohibited Law and Child Right Act, penal code, section 34 of the constitution Federal Republic of Nigeria are enforceable in the state.
“A person who batters his or her spouse commits offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand naira (N200,000) or both”, she said.
Yisa further disclosed that, subsection 2 of the Nigeria constitution provides that a person who attempts to commit the act of violence provided for in subsection(1) of the Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or to a fine not exceeding One hundred thousand naira (N100,000) or both.
Also a person who incites, aids, abets, or counsels another person to commit the act of violence as provided for in subsection (1), commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand naira (N200,000) or both”, she said