Anambra govt to prosecute persons who deny women right to inherit properties

The Anambra government has commenced moves to secure the right of women to inherit property in the state, against the popular Igbo culture of the southeast, where women are denied access to family inheritance.

The age-old practice has persisted in the southeast, with many members of the public still indulging in the discriminatory practices despite a Supreme Court ruling declaring it illegal.

However, the Attorney General of Anambra State, Mr Tobechukwu Nweke, has initiated steps for the prosecution of those denying females the right of inheritance in the state and directed the Nigeria Police to investigate such complaints and transmit the case file to his office for prosecution.

A press release by the special assistant on media to the Anambra State Governor, Mr Ejimofor Opara, quoted a letter to the Nigeria Police, signed by the Attorney General, saying the state will commence legal action against those who deny women their inheritances.

Opara said: “The letter noted that the obnoxious practices of denying women and girls their right to inherit property because they are females amounts to a crime under Section 22 of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2017 of Anambra State and punishable with up to four (4) years imprisonment.”

He quoted a part of the letter to the police commissioner which read: “In the light of the foregoing, you are kindly requested to ensure that your office thoroughly investigates all reported cases of gender-based disinheritance and that the case files are transmitted to this Ministry for further action.

“To effectively combat this practice, this Ministry has designated the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Unit to handle the prosecution of offenders under the above-mentioned law, alongside other forms of domestic violence and sexual offences,” the letter read.