A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), ActionAid Nigeria on Monday in Lafia, commended the Nasarawa House of Assembly for passing the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Bill into law.
The bill which seeks to prohibit all forms of violence against persons and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims, stipulates life imprisonment for perpetrators of sexual violence, such as rape.
The Women’s Right Manager of ActionAid, Nkechi Ilochi-Omekedo, said that the organisation is excited with the expeditious passage of the bill having been initiated less than six months ago.
She said that the speedy passage of the bill was encouraging and showed leadership on the part of the state legislature.
“The law will allow victims and survivors of violence to be able to access justice.
“It provides women’s rights activists and human rights defenders the opportunity to access justice for victims of violence,”she said.
Ilochi-Omekedo said that ActionAid always stood in solidarity with the poor, adding that women’s rights was at the centre of what they do.
She said that the organisation was part of the process leading to the passage of bill as it submitted a memorandum calling for stiffer penalty for rapists, which the assembly obliged by slamming life jail term on perpetrators.
The manager expressed optimism that the law would be implemented to serve as deterrent to would-be offenders and enable women and girls to live free of fear of violence.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the assembly on Monday passed the bill into law.
The Speaker of the House, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe-Abdullahi, who is also the sponsor of the bill, said it would address issues of violence against persons in the state.
He thanked members for their support towards the passage of the bill.
Balarabe-Abdullahi said the bill provided for 14 years imprisonment for offenders below the age of 14, while adult sexual offenders are to serve life jail term.
Earlier, Alhaji Tanko Tunga, the Majority Leader of the House had moved a motion for the passage of the bill into law, while Mr Danladi Jatau, the Minority Leader seconded the motion.
The House unanimously passed the bill into law. ( NAN)
