Anambra Assembly debunks report on ‘new burial law,’ accuses media of misrepresentation

The Anambra State House of Assembly has dismissed as false and misleading a media report alleging that the state introduced a “new burial law” banning the presentation of cows, goats and other condolence gifts at funerals.

In a statement issued by the Office of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Nkem Udeze, the Assembly described the publication—particularly a headline attributed to Punch Newspapers—as a gross misrepresentation of facts capable of causing unnecessary public anxiety and outrage.

The House clarified that the current 8th Assembly did not pass any new burial legislation, nor was any bill proposing such restrictions introduced, debated or approved by lawmakers under the present leadership.

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According to the statement, the burial regulatory framework being referenced in some reports was enacted into law in 2019, well before the inauguration of the current Assembly. It stressed that since the swearing-in of the 8th House, no amendments have been made to the existing law in the areas sensationally reported by sections of the media.

“The publication is false and misleading. It is irresponsible and professionally unethical to attribute a non-existent ‘new law’ to the present Assembly simply to generate traffic, controversy and public outrage,” the statement read.

The Assembly warned that the growing trend of distorted headlines and misinformation poses a serious threat to public trust and social stability, urging media organisations to uphold the ethics of responsible journalism.

It reiterated its commitment to transparent and people-oriented legislation, assuring residents that all bills legitimately before the House would continue to be subjected to open legislative processes and public engagement.

The Assembly called on Ndi Anambra and the general public to disregard what it described as a false narrative and to rely on verified information from official government channels regarding legislative matters.