Offences and their Punishments in Nigeria – The ideas of wrongdoing and retribution play a crucial role in maintaining the social harmony and security of a country.
Since lawbreaking is inevitable regardless of where one resides, All countries have developed legal systems to prevent lawbreakers and hold those who break the law accountable.
For various reasons, some offences are more prevalent than others in most nations. Though, it has come to light that some offences in Nigeria are significantly more prevalent than others.
In this piece, you will see a comprehensive and detailed list of offences and their punishments in Nigeria.
Additionally, it is helpful to consider the impact of economic and political factors on policing and incarceration rates while trying to make sense of the connection between crime and punishment in Nigeria, as is the case with many other countries.
General Offences and their Punishments in Nigeria
Here are some of the most common crimes in Nigeria and the penalties that are typically imposed for them:
1. Bribery and Corruption
Bribery is the corrupt practice of offering or accepting something of value in exchange for favours or favours in return. Corrupt behaviour occurs when an official exploit his or her position to illegally enrich himself or herself.
The Punishment for this offence is three years imprisonment.
2. Banditry
Banditry is carried out by criminal gangs who plan and direct the operations. Additionally, they engage in destructive rampages against communities and beings of their choosing.
The Punishment for this offence is prosecution based on concomitant offences.
3. Kidnapping
Kidnapping is when someone is taken from their home or place of work against their will and held in captivity without legal authority.
The Punishment for this offence is life imprisonment.
4. Rape
Men conduct most rapes, including coercing a victim into sexual contact against her will.
It’s also a crime to engage in sexual behaviour with someone who is either too young, too mentally impaired, too drunk to give informed permission, or too deceived to resist.
The Punishment for this offence is life imprisonment.
5. Stealing / Highway Robbery / Armed Robbery
To steal under the threat of physical force is to commit robbery. Theft is the illegal theft of property by force or the threat of force from a person or place.
The Punishment for this offence is seven years imprisonment with or without a fine.
6. Economic Crime
Any illegal act committed by an individual or organization to obtain financial gain is considered an economic crime.
The Punishment for this offence is a minimum of seven years imprisonment with or without a fine.
7. Advance-fee Scam
One of the most common assurance traps is the advance-fee scam, commonly known as the Nigerian prince scam or the 419 scam.
The con artist promises the victim a sizable share of a massive sum of money in exchange for a small initial payment that will be utilized to collect the massive sum.
If the victim follows through with the payment, the con artist will either add on several fees or disappear altogether.
This fraud has spread from fax and regular mail to electronic mail and letters.
The Punishment for this offence is a minimum of fourteen years imprisonment with or without a fine.
8. Cyber Crime
Cybercrime is any illicit conduct on the internet that involves using a computer. A computer is a tool or a victim in an online crime.
The Punishment for this offence is a fine of ten million Naira or five years imprisonment.
9. Terrorism
Terrorism is the unlawful and often targeted use of violence and intimidation to achieve political ends. The employment of terror as a regular tactic, especially to force compliance, is another definition.
The Punishment for this offence is life imprisonment, but if murder is committed, the terrorist would be sentenced to death.
10. Financial Crime
An example of a financial crime is the fraudulent use of cash or other financial instruments like checks, drafts, money orders, etc. Cases in point include forgery, bank fraud, and check issues.
People are vulnerable to financial crime in many facets of their lives, including at home, work, online, and offline.
Theft, fraud, deception, blackmail, corruption, and money laundering are only some examples of financial crimes.
The Punishment for this offence is a minimum of fourteen years imprisonment with or without a fine.
11. Police Brutality and Hostility
In light of the Nigerian police force’s atrocious brutality and hostility, many ask whether they need to learn survival skills to get by in this country.
The public has no well-developed counterargument against police brutality. Police shoot unarmed civilians and tag armed robbers for their safety.
Further, many innocent Nigerians have been executed for crimes they did not commit, despite being helpless and defenceless.
The Punishment for this offence is three years imprisonment.
12. Religious Crisis
Any crime committed during or after a religious crisis would be treated as such. Murder, arson, rape, and theft would all be considered criminal acts in the event of a religious disaster or conflict; the perpetrators would be held legally responsible for their actions.
13. Ballot Box Snatching
The Punishment for this offence is imprisonment for not less than ten years or the highest possible fine of ₦50,000,000 or both.
14. Complicity
The Punishment for this offence is the same as for the directly responsible crime.
15. Criminal Conspiracy
The Punishment for this offence is a maximum of six months imprisonment, with or without a fine.
16. Embezzlement
The Punishment for this offence ranges from seven to fourteen years imprisonment, including a monetary fine.
17. Examination Malpractice
The Punishment for this offence is three years imprisonment.
18. Forgery
The Punishment for this offence is seven years imprisonment, with or without a fine.
19. Hate Speech/Public Incitement
The Punishment for this offence is one year imprisonment.
20. Physical Assault
The Punishment for this offence is a life sentence or a lesser sentence, with or without the option of a fine.
21. Slander and Libel
The Punishment for this offence is three years imprisonment or a fine, or both.
Also see: Factors Affecting Economic Development in Nigeria 2023 (12 Pertinent Issues to Consider)
Lastly, you should know that there are other offences in Nigeria, all of which carry severe penalties. It would be best if you made an effort to learn these offences and their punishments to avoid the penalties.
Although, as the adage goes, “ignorance of the law is no excuse before the law,” this article should help you become more aware of these violations.
Also, getting legal representation is essential if you are falsely accused. Your lawyer may be able to exploit the fact that you did not intend to break the law as a defence if he or she is very skilled.
We hope you find this information helpful. Please use any of the share buttons below to share this information.
Feel free to drop any questions or contributions regarding this article in the comment section below.