Senate President – Lawan Advocates Stiffer Penalty For Rape
…As Senate condemns killing of Tina, Uwa
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, has advocated for stiffer penalties for rape in Nigeria to serve as deterrent to perpetrators involved in the act.
Lawan, who made the call in his concluding remarks on a motion condemning the increasing cases of rape and brutality against the girl child in Nigeria, said such stiffer penalties should be include in the Nigeria’s criminal and penal code.
According to him; “We stand together shoulder to shoulder on this, and I think we need to make the penalties for rape stiffer to be sufficient deterrent for those who are involved in this, or who even desire to be involved.
“We have to save our future, and these girls and women are the future of this nation,” Lawan stressed.
In his comments, sponsor of the motion with the title; “increasing cases of rape and brutality against the girl child in Nigeria”, Senator Sandy Onor (PDP, Cross River Central), noted that on Tuesday, 26th May, 2020, a 16 year old girl, Miss Tina Ezekwe, was hit by a bullet when a trigger-happy policeman opened fire on a bus in Lagos
According to the lawmaker, “efforts to save Tina proved futile as she passed on two days later at a hospital.”
Citing another incident, the lawmaker noted that “on Wednesday, 27th May, 2020, a first year undergraduate student of University of Benin, Miss Uwa Omozuwa was brutalised and raped at her church, where she went to study in the evening of that day.
“Brutality and rape cases against the girl child in Nigeria are on the rise, with some of these cases reported and several others, admittedly unreported.”
Senato Onor bemoaned the lack of safety for the girl child in Nigeria, adding that our young girls may no longer have confidence to live their normal lives.
The lawmaker alsio said; “The average young girl in Nigeria is obviously becoming terrified and scared to live with and trust her close male relatives and neighbours.
“That most Nigerian girls and women might have experienced one form of verbal and physical abuse or assault in their lifetime.”
Onor noted that the negative physical, psychological and emotional effects of rape and brutality on young girls might impact them for the rest of their lives with attendant consequences on their self-esteem and general productivity.
He said; “If proactive measures are not taken by relevant authorities to curb these dastardly acts and bring the culprits to justice, the cases of sexual assault and brutality will rise even further.”
The lawmaker further stated that unless timely action is taken against sexual assault and brutality, the absence of same “will hinder our growth as a nation and it is therefore our responsibility as leaders to rescue these young girls from the scourge of rape and brutality.
Lending her voice in support of the motion, Senator Biodun Olujimi (PDP – Ekiti South) said, “these are very ominous times for our children, especially the girl child.”
She said; “Mr. President, if the authorities do not take serious action against rape, it would become a big scourge that will eat us down the line because the girls are being attacked psychologically, and that is not good for this nation.”
The Senate therefore called on the State Houses of Assembly to amend the penal and criminal code to make the penalties for rape and sexual assault stiffer so as to deter perpetrators.
The Upper chamber of the National Assembly also condemned the killings of the young girls, and called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators of the unwholesome acts.
The Senate while urging the Executive arm of government to stage a campaign against the increasing brutality and rape of the girl child, called on the relevant security authorities to evolve proactive measures to checkmate these unfortunate occurrences.
The Senate also observed a minute silence for Tina and Uwa and all those who have lost their lives from such brutality and rape.