National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has vowed to prosecute thugs and perpetrators of electoral violence, before, during and after election, saying sections 23 and 24 of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act allowed it to do so.
Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, the Director-General, NAPTIP said the agency would post its personnel in polling units in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to prosecute those involved in thuggery, mugging and other violent acts.
Waziri-Azi, who spoke at a briefing in Abuja on implementation of the Act regarding poll violence, said: “Section 23 provides that ‘a person who commits political violence is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment of up to four years or a fine of up to N500,000 or both.
She said “The section criminalises any attempt to commit political violence; inciting, aiding, abetting or counselling another person to commit the crime, including receiving or assisting a person to commit a political crime
“For political actors, that is, groups of persons, institutions and agencies, Section 24 provides punishment of imprisonment of up to four years or a fine of up to N1 million or both.
“Section 24 further provides that ‘the state is liable for the offence committed by its agents and the court shall award compensation commensurate with the damages.”
“These provisions apply to the 36 states that adopted the VAPP Act as law. Based on the foregoing, and amid political violence since the electioneering process, including those on INEC facilities, it has become necessary for the agency to work with sister law agencies to implement the above-referenced sections of VAPP Act at this time,” she added.
