Anambra State to Take Action Against Denial of Women’s Inheritance Rights

The Anambra State Government is taking steps to prosecute individuals who deny women and girls the right to inherit property. The Attorney-General of Anambra State, Tobechukwu Nweke, has asked the Nigeria Police Force to investigate these cases and send the findings to his office for legal action.

Nweke highlighted that many girls are being stopped from inheriting property owned by their parents due to customs and traditional practices. He pointed out that despite rulings from the Supreme Court declaring such customs unconstitutional, some people continue to engage in these discriminatory practices.

The Attorney-General’s letter states that denying women and girls their inheritance rights is a crime under Section 22 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2017, which can lead to a prison sentence of up to four years.

To address this issue, the letter requests thorough investigations into all reported cases of gender-based disinheritance. The Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Unit has been assigned to handle the prosecution of offenders, along with other domestic violence and sexual offenses.