Anambra Gov Warns Families Over Blocking Women From Inheriting Property

(Anambra State Government. Photo by PRemuim Times)

The Anambra State government has begun steps to protect the right of women to inherit property, a move that goes against a popular Igbo custom in the southeast where women are kept away from family inheritance.

The old practice is still common in the region. Many people keep doing it even though the Supreme Court has ruled that it is illegal.

The state Attorney General, Tobechukwu Nweke, has now started the process of prosecuting anyone who denies females their inheritance.

He told the police to look into such complaints and send the case files to his office so that trials can begin.

A press release from the media aide to the state governor, Ejimofor Opara, said the Attorney General wrote to the police to say the state will take legal action against those who deny women what is due to them.

Opara said the letter described the harmful practice of stopping women and girls from inheriting property simply because they are female as a crime under Section 22 of the state Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law of 2017.

He said it carries a jail term of up to four years.

The letter to the police commissioner asked his office to fully investigate every reported case of gender-based disinheritance and pass the files to the Ministry for further action.

It added that the Ministry has picked its Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Unit to prosecute offenders under this law, along with other forms of domestic violence and sexual offences.