A bill for a law to amend the Violence against Persons (Prohibition) Law, 2027 (VAPP Law 2017) and for other connected purposes, on Thursday at plenary, scaled First and Second Reading at the floor of the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Sponsor of the bill and member representing Onitsha North One Constituency, Hon. MiMi Azikiwe, seek the approval of the House to proceed for Second Reading of the bill, sighting order 74:1.
Leading the debate, in proposing amendment to criminalize recording, screenshoting of sexual intimacy, personal nudity and other private moments without consents, Hon. Azikiwe
stated that the social media and the Internet are repleted with issues and cases where private intimate moments between adults were exposed to the world basically for ulterior motives and without the consents of the victims.
Hon. Azikiwe explained that if a loved one taking a shower or exposes his or her nakedness supposedly to someone in a video call doesn’t imply that the individual gave his or her consent to be recorded or screenshoted for some unconventional reasons.
The lawmaker proposes the insertion of a new Section 29, creating a distinct offence for the non-consensual recording of intimate or private acts, and providing penalties for the distribution, threat of distribution, or exploitative retention of such recordings.
She contended that the purpose of this amendment is to address harm and protection of human dignity that occurs without physical contact, recognizing that covert recording of intimate or private acts constitutes a violation of bodily autonomy, privacy, and psychological integrity.
According to Azikiwe, such acts are often used as tools of intimidation, coercion, extortion, or emotional abuse, and the law currently provides no specific remedy at the point the violation occurs.
Hon Azikiwe observed that everybody has the right to privacy, hence their private moments should not be recorded and exposed to public domains without their express consent.
Section 2 of the Principal Law (VAPP Law 2017) is hereby amended by inserting Intimate or Private Act to include act of sexual nature, acts of personal hygiene, use of toilet or bathroom facilities, changing of clothing, medical or personal care or any activity ordinarily performed in private.
“No one should have their private moments recorded without their permission. There are alot of complains about people having their nudes out of the public domain.
“A person commits an offence if he or she intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, and without the express consent of another person, records, captures, screen-records, photographs, films, listens to, or otherwise preserve an image, video, audio recording, or any visual or audiovisual representation of other person while the person is unclad or privately clad, engaged in sexual activity; engaged in an intimate or private act in respect of which the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy, whether such act occurs during a physical encounter or by means of a live digital, electronic or virtual communication.
“A person who commits this offence shall be liable on conviction to three years imprisonment or a fine of not less than #3,000,000; or both imprisonment and fine.”
Supporting the bill in their separate submissions, Ejike Okechukwu (Anaocha 2), Hon Tony Muobike (Aguata 2), Obi Nweke (Anambra East), Majority Leader, Ikenna Ofodeme (Ekwusigo),
noted that this crime has affected many victims in the society, as their supposedly intimate moments are recorded and dished out to the society without their express consent thereby denting their image and reputation.
“Alot of people have tried to harm themselves because of the incident.
“The law of defamation exists both in criminal and civil laws and the punishment above should apply.
” This law is linked to cyber crime and cyber bullying. This should equally apply to recording phone conversation or putting it on speak out without the person’s consent as well as using AI to purport a victim committing crime or making gest of him on social media domain. This will serve as a prevention before it’s commission.”. The lawmakers submitted.
The Speaker of the House, Rt Hon Somtochukwu Udeze who presided over plenary, referred the bill to House Committee on Judiciary and Justice, headed by Bar. Patrick Okafor, urging them to report back to the House in the next adjourned date.
Angel Network News (ANN) reports that the House adjourned and to reconvene on Tuesday 10th March 2026.
