Edo imposes 4 year jail term on Female Genital Mutilation

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State

 By Editor

April 18, 2023

Edo State Government says  circumcision of female genital in the state now attract four years of imprisonment or option of N500,000 fine or both.

Dailymonitorngr reports that the  government said the punishment was in line with the provisions of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law enacted by the state government in 2015.

Barrister Ulo Uzamere, member, Gender Based Violence (GBV) management committee made this known at a one-day sensitization meeting with leaders and residents of Orhionmwon Local Government Area  on the provisions of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law in the state 

Uzamere noted that the VAPP Law established since 2015 in the state was  now bought by every state in Nigeria to prosecute perpetrators of violence against persons.

According to her, the law is  no longer about familial settlement as it used to be, as the government has stepped in to handle these issues.

She listed some other provisions of the law to include forceful ejection from home (for couples) which attracts jail term of 2 years or an option of  N300,000 fine or both.

Others are  economic abuse, forced isolation or separation from family and friends, abandonment,spousal battery and inhuman treatment of widows/harmful traditional practice.

"The VAPP Law contains among other provisions rape in any form which attracts life imprisonment for the perpetrators, while under-aged will face 12 years’ imprisonment and those who aided the crime also have a certain number of years to be jailed.

"The issue of girl-child circumcision attracts four years of imprisonment, N500,000 fine or both",she said.

In her opening address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, Mrs. Barbara Osobajo said the sensitization engagement was aimed at ending gender-based violence and all other forms of violence against vulnerable people in the state.

Osobajo also added that the meeting was conveyed  to raise awareness among the populace on the  efforts that the government of Governor Godwin Obaseki was putting into the legal framework of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law and address the societal ills all over.

She also added that the VAPP Law 2021 addresses the issues of abuse, violation of human rights of all genders and not just women alone. 

"The law is all embracing and our call today is to all of us who are seated and for us to take the message back home that it is our collective responsibility for us to make the contribution that will address the matters in the VAPP Law.

"We want everyone to have improved knowledge of the law, commit to this campaign and make our society free from all forms of violence, irrespective of the gender it affects.

“We also require that anytime you see or hear about anything that is not right, particularly in the areas of abuse, do not keep quiet. It is your duty to report, call on those in charge and let them know what is happening.”

“Your contributions will go a long way to strengthen the implementation of the law and make it useful,” she stated.