Speaker of Taraba State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Joseph Albasu Kunini, PhD has disclosed why he sponsored the ANTI VIOLENCE bill tagged, THE TARABA STATE VIOLENCE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST PERSONS (PROHIBITION) BILL, 2020.
Speaking at the plenary on Wednesday, 3rd February, 2021 during the second reading of the bill, the Speaker narrated that he was prompted to sponsor the anti violence bill after he read a mind rending story on how a six-years old girl was raped to death in Kaduna last November.
Recall that in November 2020, a six-years old girl, Aisha Ya'u Ibrahim, was raped to death by an unknown person and her body was dumbed in a cemetery at Kurmin Mashi, a suburbs in Kaduna Metropolis.
It was against this backdrop that the Speaker stated that he was prompted to sponsor the anti violence bill last December which is a domestication of a federal law, THE VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSONS PROHIBITION (VAPP) Act, enacted in 2015 in response to the intractable problem where it was estimated that one out of three girls and women would have experienced sexual violence before the age of 18 years.
According to him, only 20 out of the 36 states of the federation have so far domesticated the federal law against the social vices in the country.
He also recalled that the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, organized by the United Nations, marked a milestone for the global agenda for gender equality and the fight against all forms of abuse against vulnerable persons, hence Nigeria as the Giant of Africa should take the lead.
He said "it is an Act of the National Assembly, there are some sections that are not relevant to the State, hence they are expunged.
"The bill when passed into law will give voice to the voiceless; to protect our electorate who gave us the mandate.
"As politicians, the bill also addresses political violence, therefore we should fo justice to the section.
"This bill is unique because it addresses all forms of violence and challenges relating to social vices in the society."
Members who contributed during the debate on the anti violence bill unanimously converged on a consensus opinion that its passage was long over due hence it should be given speedy passage into law.
The Speaker then announced setting up of a five-man committee headed by a former Speaker and member representing Takum II, Rt. Hon. Dr. Mark Bako Useni, to conduct public hearing on the anti violence bill; members include Hon. Bonzena Kizito John (Zing); Hon. Barr. Abubakar Yahuza Maidalailu (Jalingo I); Hon. Dr. Tafarki Agbadu Eneme (Kurmi); and Hon. Dr. Jedua Dawud Ahmad (Gembi).
The ad hoc committee was given two weeks to report back to the House.
The bill with long title, A BILL FOR A LAW TO PROHIBIT ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ANY PERSON AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES CONNECTED THEREWITH is divided into 43 sections which prescribed stiffer penalties on the various forms of violence and discrimination against persons.
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