Akwa Ibom Lawmakers Propose 10-Year Jail Term for Women Who Have Affairs With Married Men

The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly is set to pass a bill that seeks to criminalise sexual relationships with married men in the state.

According to a post made by Obiavel Albert Abigo, a lawyer, on his Facebook page on Monday, the proposed bill, sponsored by the Deputy Governor, Senator Akon Inyang, makes it an offence for any young girl, lady, or woman to engage in a sexual relationship with a married man.

He stated that the bill’s content specifies that any woman found guilty of the act will face a mandatory 10-year prison sentence, without the option of a fine.

However, the married man involved in the offence would be required to pay a fine of N2 million.

“The bill is expected to be passed into law when it comes up for consideration at the plenary session of the House on Tuesday,” he wrote.

If enacted, it would be the first law to be passed against adultery in Nigeria, although prostitution remains illegal.

Recently, an Abuja Federal High Court has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a civil society group seeking to protect commercial sex workers from arrest and harassment in the Federal Capital Territory, ruling that prostitution has no legal protection under Nigerian law.

In a judgment delivered in March 2025, Justice James Omotosho held that sex workers are liable to arrest and prosecution under the Penal Code and do not enjoy any enforceable rights to practice prostitution in Abuja.

The judge said the suit lacked merit and was incompetent under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules.

The case was filed by Lawyers Alert Initiative for Protection of Rights of Children, Women, and the Indigent against the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), the FCT minister, the FCTA, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The group had asked the court to stop security agencies from arresting and prosecuting women suspected of engaging in sex work, arguing that such actions violated their fundamental human rights.

However, Justice Omotosho rejected the claims, stating that prostitution is an offence under Nigerian law and that suspected sex workers can lawfully be arrested.

He ruled that fundamental rights are not absolute and can be restricted in the interest of public order, morality, and safety.

Do you think this proposed law is about protecting marriages, or does it unfairly place the burden on women, and should personal relationships be treated as criminal offences at all? Share your views in the comment section.