The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons has said that female circumcision was a crime which attracts a four-year jail term.

The agency made this known in a post it shared on its official X handle (Formerly Twitter) @naptipnigeria on Sunday.

A member of the public on his X handle @realmuhammadd, asked if it was compulsory for a newborn girl to be circumcised.

Another X user with the handle @AAAlhlaji21, responded by saying that it was important to perform circumcision on baby girls, to prevent them from being promiscuous when they grow up.

NAPTIP, however, debunked the myth in its reaction to the posts, warning against the practice.

“Dear Muhammad- Just so you know female circumcision (FC) is a crime under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, (VAPP) 2015 and under various states’ VAPP Laws. Anyone who performs FC is liable to up to four years imprisonment, an attempt attracts two years imprisonment,” it stated.

According to the agency, anyone who incites, aids, or counsels another person to commit the offence of FC, is liable to up to two years imprisonment.

“We urge you to use this as a teaching moment to also educate others. Remember “Female Circumcision, Genital Mutilation” is a crime,’’ it stated.

(NAN)