The Anambra State Government has commenced moves to prosecute individuals who deny women and girls their lawful right to inherit property on the basis of gender.
The state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Tobechukwu Nweke, SAN, disclosed this in a letter to the Nigeria Police Force, directing the police to investigate complaints of gender-based disinheritance and forward the case files to his office for prosecution.
Nweke said the move became necessary following reports of women and girls being prevented from inheriting properties belonging to their parents because of customs and traditional practices.
According to him, the discriminatory practice persists despite several Supreme Court decisions which have declared customs that prevent females from inheriting property unconstitutional and unlawful.
The Attorney-General said denying women and girls inheritance rights because of their gender constitutes an offence under Section 22 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2017 of Anambra State.
He added that offenders could face up to four years’ imprisonment upon conviction.
Nweke, in the letter, urged the police to thoroughly investigate all reported cases of gender-based disinheritance and forward the relevant case files to the Ministry of Justice for further action.
He said the ministry had also designated its Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Unit to prosecute offenders under the law.
The unit, he added, would handle such cases alongside other forms of domestic violence and sexual offences.
The development is aimed at strengthening enforcement of women’s inheritance rights and curbing discriminatory practices that deny females access to property on the basis of their gender.
