What the VAPP Act Repeal Means to Women, Activists and Survivors

On 9 July 2024, a bill to repeal and reenact the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act passed its second reading at the National House of Assembly. Nigerian women analyze this Bill through personal and collective histories on what it could mean for the fight against gender-based violence.

Written by Esohe Iyare

Nov 10, 2024

Photo illustration by Dami Mojid / THE REPUBLIC. Ref: KOGI REPORTS.

Trigger warning: Sexual violence, physical and psychological abuse.

In August 2024, 24-year-old Yasmin Bello* left the office of the Legal Officer-in-Command, Zone 10 Sokoto, sniffing into her hijab. It had been three anxious months since a friend put her in direct contact with the Criminal Investigation Department, and now she was leaving with a protection order against her cousin, Ahmed. ‘He began spreading rumours of me sleeping around, then peeping at me through my toilet window,’ she told me, ‘He then proceeded to blackmail me that he has pictures of me bathing and he’d share them online if I don’t sleep with him.’

Under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, Ahmed's actions are classified as coercion (section 3) and emotional and psychological abuse (section 14). If convicted on both charges, he could spend a maximum of four years in prison and pay a fine of N200,000. Before the case could be heard in court, Yasmin's father demanded that she withdraw it. The protection order was the best she could get.

This order, provided for by section 30 of the VAPP Act, prohibits Ahmed from contacting her in any way or being within ten meters of her. If violated, the Officer in Command assured Yasmin that the matter would transcend her, and the state must prosecute Ahmed under the Act. She said: ‘It is the only form of justice I’ve gotten, despite being a victim of serial sexual violence by grown men in my community.’

You’ve Reached Your Limit of Free Reading.

The Republic is a Nigerian media-tech company dedicated to explaining our time—through deeply reported journalism on power, culture and society.

Ad-Free Reading Experience

Focused consumption without interruptions.

Unlimited Access to Exclusive Archives

Years of reporting at your fingertips.

In-Depth Deep-dive Reporting

Long-form journalism that matters.

Create a free account to continue reading this month and access more of our work.

About the Author

Esohe Iyare

is a Lagos-based writer and researcher interested in women's experiences and digital culture.

Comments

SHOP THE REPUBLIC

Kidnapped From the House of God

What began as a Tuesday evening service at Christ Apostolic Church in Eruku, Kwara State, turned into a live-streamed kidnapping that dragged 38 worshippers into the forest and left three people dead. Nearly 40 days after the bandit attack, Pelumi Salako visits Eruku to speak with survivors.

—March 22, 2026

The Bombing That Changed Abuja Forever

In 2011, a Boko Haram bombing at the United Nations House in Abuja claimed the lives of 26 people. The incident changed Nigeria’s capital city and the lives of its residents forever.

—March 22, 2026

What Endures in Borno Are the People

Boko Haram terrorism fits into a longer pattern of insurgency in Borno. Civilians survive through collective resistance, negotiation and uneasy compliance, and ‘peace’ in wartime is often shaped by tragic trade-offs.

—March 22, 2026

Surviving Boko Haram

Aisha, Juliana and Hauwa escaped Boko Haram captivity, but their freedom has taken longer to arrive.

—September 7, 2025

Driving Through Life as a Fully Veiled Muslim Woman

Mutia’ah Badrudeen documents how her decades of driving, as a fully veiled Muslim Yoruba woman across multiple countries, reveal prevailing social ideas about gender, identity and belonging.

Subscribe to our free newsletter.

What’s your e-mail?

You’re in — welcome to The Republic

Complete your onboarding

Read

Connect

Apps

More

Read

Connect

Apps

More

What the VAPP Act Repeal Means to Women, Activists and Survivors