The Lagos State Government has warned men to avoid forcing their wives to have sex without their consent, stating that anyone found guilty of the offense could face a life imprisonment sentence.
The Director of Legal Services at the Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Haroun Adebayo, made this known during a press briefing organized by the state's Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) in Alausa, Ikeja.
Adebayo said that while the state law does not classify a husband forcing his wife to have sex without her consent as rape, such an act could constitute sexual assault, which carries a penalty of up to life imprisonment.
He explained that if a couple has issues and the wife refuses to have sex with her husband, he has no right to force her.
According to him, if the husband forces her and she reports it, he can be prosecuted for assault.
Adebayo also warned men who believe that because they paid a bride price, they have the right to do whatever they want in the home.
He said anyone facing or committing such abuse should report to the Lagos State DSVA for appropriate action.