Nigeria's Sexual Offences Bill 2013, Matters Arising

Abstract

This paper is an analysis and evaluation of Nigeria’s new Sexual Offences Act Bill 2013 recently passed by the Senate of the seventh National Assembly whose tenure ended in May 2015 and is currently awaiting presidential assent. The paper explores the importance of the reform criminal law particularly offences dealing with sexual offences, children, women, vulnerable persons, the influence and relationship of fundamental rights, laws in other jurisdictions and international law in the drafting of the new law. Furthermore the paper discusses the powers of states to legislate for laws in Nigeria’s federal structure and the applicability of laws passed by the National Assembly and States’ Houses of Assembly. The paper highlights the new offences in the law, new provisions in the law which impact on criminal procedure and rights protecting the interests of victims, injured parties and witnesses. The paper also identifies issues of harmonisation with existing related sexual offences, data protection and sentencing guidelines.