FACTSHEET ON THE VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSONS PROHIBITION ACT 2015

In May 2015, the Nigerian National Assembly passed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, a landmark law designed to address the escalating issue of violence against individuals, particularly gender-based violence.

The Act was introduced to bridge gaps in existing laws, providing a comprehensive framework to criminalise various forms of violence, including domestic abuse, sexual violence, harmful traditional practices, and psychological abuse.

The Act also introduced stronger penalties for offenders, support services for survivors, and targeted harmful cultural practices like female genital mutilation and forced marriage, signalling a shift towards modernising Nigeria’s legal response to violence.

Despite its progressive nature, the Act only applies to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), with each state responsible for its domestication, a process that has seen mixed success.

Advocacy efforts by civil society have aimed to push more states towards full implementation to ensure nationwide protection against violence.

However, in 2022, a bill to repeal the VAPP Act was introduced in the Senate, led by Senator Jibrin Isah (APC: Kogi). The proposed bill seeks to reform the law, addressing perceived issues such as strict liability offences, revising imprisonment terms and fines, and introducing a Victims’ Support Fund for better compensation to survivors.

This factsheet aimed to compare the original VAPP Act of 2015 with the proposed Act to repeal it. By juxtaposing and analysing the provisions of both laws, it explored the legal implications of the repeal and examined the advocated amendments in contrast to a full repeal.

Kindly click the link below to download a copy of our fact sheet:

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