President Jonathan signs violence against persons, immigration bills

[Calllaris]

Link: http://www.nigerianh...immigration-act

 

 

President Goodluck Jonathan has signed two bills,earlier passed by the National Assembly, into law.

 

The bills, which have now become Acts, are the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 and the Immigration Act 2015.

 

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, confirmed the development on Monday.

Jonathan signed the bills into laws on Monday barely four days to the expiration of his tenure.

 

The President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, will be inaugurated as the country’s next President on Friday.

 

It will be recalled that the Senate had on May 4 passed the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 into law.

 

The Act also seeks to prohibit female circumcision or genital mutilation, forceful ejection from home and harmful widowhood practices.

 

It also prohibits abandonment of spouse, children and other dependents without sustenance, battery and harmful traditional practices.

 

It also intends to eliminate violence in private and public life and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims of violence, and punishment of offenders.

 

The law also prohibits economic abuse, forced isolation and separation from family and friends, substance attack, depriving persons of their liberty, incest, indecent exposure, among others.

 

The bill was sponsored by Senate leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba.

 

In his remarks, Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the session where the bill was passed, said the passage of the bill would provide adequate protection for the vulnerable in the society and punish those who take advantage of them.

[Hawken]

Very good.

[Abystacy]

Hmmm

[Calllaris]

In passing this bill, the legislature has done a good job, the president has also represented the executive by implementing into law.

 

The other tool of the executive - the police - should be ready to enforce this law while we wait for the judiciary to interpret it.

 

But First the individual must understand their right to this law. Lawyers and right's activists, take note to educate.

[dequeen]

Do these bills affect the have-nots ?? Like the 50% of Nigerians who have no access to internet , who can't afford to eat 2 square meals a day, talk more of buy a newspaper or afford a lawyer. These bills mostly mean shit to me and I wonder how much it affects the lives of the entirely ignorant.

[Calllaris]

Well it means that if any should be a victim of any in the above, they can go to the police because the law has now called these crimes.

News circulate locally too.

It mostly starts by individuals knowing and insisting on their rights. Anybody can report a matter at the police - it is a right - and if the police don't respond (unlikely), there are higher authorities to penalise them. Just make sure you incident your matters officially as evidence. These things are workable

[Fummy]

I think I understand what Dequeen is trying to say.... The vulnerable in the society are always cheated, we have so many meaningless law in Nigeria that isn't really implemented because the same law/ police end up protecting the criminals that are high in the society. That explains why a common petty thief gets sentenced to over 20years and a politician when being probed over mishandling of public funds gets asked to pay an amount that isn't even up to 10% of the amount stolen. The same law that is supposed to protect the vulnerables in the society actually suffers them and they are aware of this, that's why most of them won't speak out when being violated . However, this is actually very commendable but to really help the vulnerable in the society, the law should be made accessible to them and I think the best way is through all these non-profit organizations that fight for the poor, they are easy to approach and I think they are even well trained to listen than our nigerian police.

[Iris]

That's right.

[Calllaris]

How do you make a law accessible to a person, after signing it into act?

What NGO's can do, individuals can equally do. It starts by what you know?

An NGO may have put together a mission statement to fight for people's rights, privy to what they know about human rights law?

Everyone has the right to knowledge of the law.

[Fummy]

Well you make the law accessible by making sure that it's actually being implemented. You'd be surprised by the number of laws we have in Nigeria that isn't even put to use . There are so many Nigerians rotting in prison because they tried fighting for their rights . I didn't say that what the president did wasn't right , I even said that it was very commendable . Am only tryna explain what Dequeen was trying to say and I agree with her. The corruption in the police force is soo overwhelming, sometimes policemen even detain the victims and make them drop the case . Remember the people we are talking about are the vulnerable in the society, the poor . These people can hardly afford to eat talkless of affording a lawyer to fight their cause. All am saying is, making it a law is only an ingredient not the main dish because knowing isn't enough to make them speak out, they need to know and be assured that not only will they be safe and their voices heard but that necessary actions would be taken and justice will be served.

[Calllaris]

I'm speaking generally.

Still, the best person to fight for their right is the individual. Its just a function of what you know and its not a privilege, its a fundamental right.

There are two types of people, those who insist on their rights and those who don't. Educated or not. Formal educated is not right educated

The police man better be hiding and doing that, because its a grave offence. You didn't commit a crime and you are locked up? I promise you, if you so much as voice out, you will make billions off the police.

Its only when you don't know your left from your right that the police can intimidate you out of the way. You will be surprised the District pol. officer doesn't even know what is happening and wouldn't want his division in bad light. He will 'out' any officer trying to do so.

Most times you may be intimidated to drop charges, simply because you don't understand your right, but ideally within 24 hours of every authentic case, suspect should be arrested and matter charged to court, and that's justice.

Knowledge of the law can put food on your table, not the other way round?

[Fummy]

Loool do you live in Nigeria? Make billions off the police? How do you do that when you can't even afford a lawyer ? The high and the middle class can definitely fight for their rights because they have the resources to do so . Am talking about the poor in the society, district police officer? Lool corruption in the police force is in every level and no its not even done in secret but openely . What do you call policemen stopping vehicles to collect money from them in broad daylight? It's corruption and it has really eaten deep into the Nigerian police force and society at large . What do you think a poor victim will do, a poor victim who can't even afford a lawyer, what will she do when/if she gets told she will be locked up forever and her family punished if she ever speaks out? What do you think her response will be considering the fact that the same system that's supposed to protect her is threatening her. I have heard stories of people who died in prison after being tortured by the police because they wanted justice. Am only talking about the poor here .

[Calllaris]

 

Poor or not, knowledge of the law is not reserved for the lawyers alone. That's the only empowerment.

 

You don't just seat back and wish for these things.

 

Why you see the right activists getting attention is the information they have.

 

Except you don't have 'good' a case. If you have a case, study it and if its a criminal case, go through the police. If its a civil case, go through your lawyersOr go file it and defend yourself. Or a we talking the miniature percentage for filling? Then everybody should earn!

 

Do you know you have the right to defend yourself in court? No, because people are ignorant. You mustn't buy a lawyer

 

Home or away, Nigeria is my home and we need to bring these things to fore. Its not as hopeless as people assume. In fact I believe in the justice system of Nigeria because I know it. Yet more can be done

 

What will a police officer gain by derailing you? Perhaps, bribery cash from the other party, but that's because you for went.How many motorists see it as a duty to renew their licences without cajole? Don't expect to be on the wrong and not be intimidated.If you know your rights, you will win.

 

(If One of the many strengths of the lawyers and the 'learned' is research of the law, if its an admirable virtue, why can't we all emulate?)

 

[Althena]

See how Dequeen just changed the destiny of this post :(

[Calllaris]

 

#rib cracking#

Where has all this humour long gone?

[Fummy]

Lmao, loool.... I officially rest my case