Follow Us on Google
From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
House of Representatives, yesterday, passed for second reading, a bill seeking to criminalise harmful and degrading practices against widows.
The proposed legislation: “Violence against persons (prohibition) (Amendment) Bill 2021,” is sponsored by Adejero Adeogun and Sergius Ogun.
Section 15 (1) of the bill stipulates that “a person who subjects a widow to harmful widowhood practices commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of seven years without any option of fine; and any other compensation to the widow as the court may deem necessary in the circumstance.”
It also stated that a person who attempts to inflict any harmful widowhood practice commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of three years or a fine of N1,000,000million or both.
Other News
“A person who incites, aids, abets or counsels another to commit an offence under subsection (1), commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of three years or a fine of N1, 000,000 or both. A person who receives or assists another who, to his or her knowledge has committed an offence under subsection (1), is an accessory after the fact and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term not more than two years or a fine not more than N1000,000 or both.”
The bill is also seeking to reserve May 23 every year as national day for the prohibition of discrimination against widows, women and girls.
Adeogun, in his lead debate, said the proposed legislation is intended to amend six sections of the extant law so as to safeguard widows from harmful practices.
The lawmaker said in some cases, widows were stigmatised and denied access to property and their own children for reasons that have no place in the Nigerian.
