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As part of efforts to address Gender Based Violence (GBV), the Niger State government has enacted a law prohibiting spousal battery in the state.
The Director, Planning Research and Statistics, Niger State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Mary Yisa made the announcement while addressing journalists on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/Sexual Harassment (SEASH) in Minna.
She said, henceforth, any person who batters his or her spouse in the state is liable to conviction to a term of three years imprisonment, describing the law as a robust legal, policy and institutional framework for addressing Gender Based Violence (GBV).
She explained that law, however, has provision for such spouses to have options of N200, 000 fine. She said “the SEASH broadly encompasses physical, sexual, economic, psychological/emotional abuse/violence, including threats and coercion, and harmful practices that occur between individuals, either at the place of work, within families and in the community, at large”.
She said GBV also include sexual violence, domestic or Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), trafficking, forced and/or early marriage, and other traditional practices that might cause harm”.
Yisa gave details of the law, thus: “Niger State has robust legal, policy and institutional frameworks for addressing GBV, which include the Violence Against Person Prohibited Law and Child Right Act, penal code, section 34 of the constitution Federal Republic of Nigeria and other laws peculiar to the state at large as well as Child Rights law.
“Niger State is also blessed with bountiful of policies such as integrated Gender Policy embedded with five years strategic Action Plan (SAP), Communication Strategy and MnE framework, Violence Against Person Prohibited (VAPP) Law, Standard Operational Procedure on Prevention and response to GBV amongst others. A person who batters his or her spouse commits offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding three years or to a fine not exceeding N200, 000 or both”.
She said subsection 2 provides that “a person who attempts to commit the act of violence provided for in subsection(1) commits an offence and is liable, on conviction, to a term of imprisonment not exceeding one year or to a fine not exceeding N100,000 or both.
“And, 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 one year or to a fine not exceeding N200,000 or both”.
