Legislature
Bill prohibiting all forms of violence against human persons Scales Second Reading
A bill that is seeking to eliminate all forms of violence against persons, in private and public life, has scaled second reading at the Senate.
Sponsored by Senator Isah Jibrin Echocho, (APC) Kogi East, the Bill is entitled; A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015, and Enact the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Bill, 2024 to eliminate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence against persons ad ttqqo provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders; and for related matters, 2024 (SB. 368)
After the bill scaled second reading yesterday in the Senate, the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, referred it to the Senator Mohammed Monguno, APC, Borno North led Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to report back in six weeks.
In his lead debate on the general principles of the bill, Senator Echcho said,
“Due to the far-reaching nature of this Bill, let me crave your indulgence to extensively highlight the background, which I believe will not only provide a proper context for this legislative initiative, but also motivate the National Assembly to accelerate the legislative process in enacting this Bill.
“This Act was enacted in 2015 against the backdrop of the rising cases of violence, especially domestic violence against women.
“The initial Bill sought protection for women from (male domination) violence. In the face of opposition to its obvious gender bias nature, the promoters renamed it, tinkered with some of its provisions, introduced seemingly gender-neutral language, and successfully obtained its passage.
“It’s explanatory memorandum states that it prohibits all forms of violence against persons in private and public life and provides protection and remedies for victims and punishment of offenders. Upon close scrutiny of the Act, it becomes obvious that it contains provisions that are inimical to the realisation of its objectives.
“Going through the provisions of the Act, it is obvious that it is plagued by substantial and drafting challenges. This underscores the necessity for a holistic reform of the Act to bring the provisions in line with the realities of societal change and drafting standards to effective dispensation of justice.
Some of the major areas of concern in the Act according to him, included several strict liability offences in the Act.
“These are instances where mental element (mens rea) is not needed, but only the physical element, which is all required to complete the offence. This therefore calls for a review to introduce elements of intention.
“The punishments of fine and imprisonment in the Act have become infinitesimal to have meaningful deterrent effect. This is particularly so in view of the current economic realities in Nigeria.
“In section 1 of the Act, the offence of rape needs particular attention. There is need to make a distinction between absence of consent, and consent obtained by fraud, undue influence, and other unlawful means.
“The Act contains inadequate provisions for compensation of the victims of violence. The penal focus is on fines and imprisonment, with little on compensation. In addition to the punishments, it is better, by way of reparation for victims, to make adequate provisions relating to compensation.
“The grievous nature of the certain offences in Act, especially section 22(1), makes the punishment provided inadequate. In view of the rampant cases of chemical attacks, such as acids and other substances, offenders under this section should not be given an option of fine. Similarly, the term of imprisonment needs an upward review.
“The Act does not create a Victims Support Fund to cater for victims of violence, and provide for its composition, funding and management.
“Section 27 of the Act, which vests jurisdiction in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, creates crisis of interpretation. Under the provision, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory needs to be “empowered by an Act of Parliament” to exercise jurisdiction. This is certainly not the legislative intent therein. Consequently, the component requiring empowerment by an Act of Parliament is unnecessary. There are instances of derogatory expressions in the Act. An example is “mentally retarded” used in section 28(4). This needs to be replaced with a subtle legislative language.
“There are many cases of wrong cross referencing in the Act. The implication is that the operators of the Act run into difficulties when it comes to implementation. This opens a floodgate of litigation, which can be avoided by legislative option.
“The use of the terms “shall” and “may” in some sections of the Act do not convey legislative intent. Those terms are used haphazardly without due consideration of their outcomes. For example, in section 33(1), it is provided that “Whenever a court issues a protection order, the court shall make an order- (a) authorizing the issue of a warrant for the arrest of the respondent, in the prescribed form; and (b) suspending the execution of such warrant subject to compliance with any prohibition, condition, obligation or order imposed under section 31 of this Act.” The implication of the use of “shall” is a mandatory effect, which could not have been the legislative intent. The word “may” is more appropriate in the circumstance.
“In section 34, a strange “commissioner” is introduced for the purpose of making an application for variation or setting aside of a protection order. This riddles the provision with confusion, as ‘commissioner’ does not appear anywhere before and after this section. Besides, ‘commissioner’ is not defined in the interpretation section.
“The Act makes reference to legislations that are already repealed. An example is section 40, which makes reference to the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990. The current law is Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2020.
“This Act is notable for its innovations towards addressing violence in all ramifications. However, the several challenges and inadequacies inherent in it, call for urgent legislative action to reposition the legislation for efficiency.
***Allocates N23.96 Trillion for Capital Projects, N14.31 Trillion for Debt Servicing
The Nigerian Senate along with the House of Represebtatives have passed the 2025 Appropriation Bill, approving a record-breaking budget of N54,990,165,355,396 to finance government activities in the coming fiscal year.
The budget, titled A Bill for an Act to Authorise the Issue from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, was approved after deliberations on its allocations and implications for economic growth, debt management, and infrastructure development.
The chairman of the National Assemble Godswill Akpabio who is also the President of the Senate gave the beakdown of the 2025 Budget to show that Statutory Transfers: ₦3.65 trillion, debt Servicing: ₦14.32 trillion, Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure: ₦13.06 trillion and
Capital Expenditure: ₦23.96 trillion
The largest chunk of the budget, ₦23.96 trillion, was allocated for capital expenditure, aimed at infrastructure development, healthcare, education, and security.
This signals the government’s commitment to addressing Nigeria’s infrastructural deficit.
However, the ₦14.32 trillion earmarked for debt servicing highlights the country’s rising debt burden, sparking concerns over long-term financial sustainability.
With the National Assembly approval, the budget now awaits President Bola Tinubu’s assent, after which implementation will begin. Analysts predict a challenging fiscal year, balancing economic growth with prudent spending and debt repayment.
However, time will tell whether the historic budget will deliver on its promises, or economic realities force adjustments down the line?
***Says addittional fund is to Prioritize Infrastructure, Health, Economic Growth
The chairman of the senate committee on Appropriation Senator Adeola Solomon Olamilekan has explained the approval of the 2025 Appropriation Bill by the national Assembly which it increased from N49.7 trillion to N54.99 trillion—the highest in the nation’s history.
The adjustment followed legislative reviews that uncovered additional revenues from key government agencies.
While explaining the Budget Expansion and Revenue Sources Olamilekan indicated that the additional N4.99 trillion was sourced from Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Government-Owned Enterprises (GOEs)
These he said led to an increase in funding for critical sectors, including N1.5 trillion for Bank of Agriculture, N500 billion for Bank of Industry, 1 trillion for Ministry of Solid Minerals, N1.5 trillion for Renewable Infrastructure Fund, N300 billion – Road construction and N400 billion for Rail transport.
Others are N380 billion of Water resources, irrigation, and dam projects, N250 billion for Military barracks renovation N120 billion for New military aviation projects, N50 billion for Border security agencies
Following the suspension of U.S. health aid, which previously provided funding for HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, and polio treatments, President Tinubu approved $200 million (N300 billion) to ensure continued medical supplies and healthcare support for affected patients.
On the major Boost for Infrastructure Development he said a record N23.7 trillion has been allocated for capital projects, marking a significant leap in infrastructure investment.
He listed the areas the funds will focus on to include Roads and railways,nEducation and healthcare improvements and Other critical public infrastructure
To prevent delays in budget implementation, the 2026 budget process will begin in July 2025, with the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted early and the Appropriation Bill expected by October 2025.
Concerns over inadequate rail infrastructure funding in the South East were raised, but legislative leaders clarified that rail projects are primarily funded through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
According to him, the 2025 budget focuses on light rail development in Lagos, Ogun, Kaduna, and Kano, while further discussions on South East projects are ongoing.
He explained that to maintain Economic Stability the budget parameters remain unchanged, with key revenue sources including FIRS increasing its revenue target to N25.1 trillion, Nigeria Customs Service boosting revenue collection through stricter enforcement and Independent revenue agencies contributing 100% of their generated funds to the federal government
The House of Representatives has directed its Joint Committee on Communications and Interior to investigate reports of unauthorized National Identification Number (NIN) linkages by telecom service providers across Nigeria.
The decision followed the unanimous adoption of a motion jointly sponsored by Hon. Patrick Umoh (APC, Akwa Ibom) and Hon. Julius Ihonvbere (APC, Edo). The House also instructed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to probe the allegations and sanction any telecom operator found guilty of violating privacy laws.
Additionally, the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has been asked to clarify whether telecom providers were authorized to link NINs to subscriber lines and if such actions comply with existing regulations.
Hon. Umoh raised concerns about recent reports indicating that telecom companies have linked NINs to subscribers’ SIM cards without their consent. He warned that this unauthorized linkage exposes Nigerians to criminal activities, such as identity theft, financial fraud, and other cybercrimes.
“This action is a clear violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019, which guarantee the right to privacy and the protection of personal data,” Umoh stated.
He further emphasized that while the NIN system was introduced to enhance national security and streamline identification processes, unauthorized linkages undermine public trust and jeopardize citizens’ safety.
“Aware that innocent citizens have been wrongly implicated in crimes, suffered reputational damage, harassment, and legal challenges for offenses they know nothing about, it is imperative that we address this issue immediately,” Umoh added.
The House has mandated the probe committee to submit its findings within four weeks, as lawmakers seek to protect Nigerians from potential data breaches and uphold the integrity of national security protocols.
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