ABUJA, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA-Lagos-based legal practitioners have warned that acts of domestic abuse could attract criminal charges under Nigerian law, regardless of family relationships.
The lawyers made the remarks in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos, amid reactions trailing an alleged assault captured in a viral video.
The video reportedly showed Ilebaye Odiniya crying out for help while allegedly being assaulted by her father.
Mr Kayode Oshiyemi, Principal Partner at Kayode Oshiyemi and Co., said domestic abuse covered several actions, including assault and battery.
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According to him, any physical contact that results in bodily harm, injury, or grievous harm may amount to assault under the law.
“Where there is touching of the victim, however slight, causing bodily harm, then we can say there has been assault and battery,” he said.
Oshiyemi stated that no individual was above the law because of family status or relationship.
“Where any individual, irrespective of status, inflicts injury on their adult child, such a person would be guilty of assault,” he said.
He maintained that while parents were entitled to discipline their children, such discipline must not become abusive.
“The law remains the law, but parents need to exercise caution when trying to discipline a child, especially where such actions become physical,” he said.
Speaking on the use of digital evidence, Oshiyemi noted that live-streamed incidents could be admissible in court if they met legal requirements for electronic evidence.
“If the police investigate the video and discover an offence, whoever is culpable will be brought to book,” he said.
He added that failure to file a formal complaint could affect prosecution efforts because complainants often provided important evidence.
Oshiyemi identified stigma, fear of shame, family influence, and concerns about imprisonment as reasons many domestic violence cases go unreported.
“Families often discourage victims from reporting because of stigma, fear of shame, or concerns the offender may go to jail,” he said.
Also, Mr Kehinde Nubi, Principal Counsel at Kehinde Nubi and Associates, said the law did not protect abusive parents or spouses from prosecution.