Senators on Tuesday debated an amendment to Nigeria’s Criminal Code Act seeking to prescribe life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of defiling minors, regardless of gender.
The amendment bill, which originated from the House of Representatives, aims to update the Criminal Code to reflect Nigeria’s current realities and strengthen the protection of children from sexual abuse.
Under the proposed law, lawmakers recommended life imprisonment as the penalty for anyone convicted of defiling a minor, replacing the previous maximum sentence of five years.
The proposal was unanimously adopted through a voice vote during plenary.
Following the decision, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, warned that anyone found guilty of defiling a minor would face life imprisonment.
“Defilement is even more serious than rape. It is a very serious issue and should carry the most severe punishment. Any defilement of a minor in Nigeria, henceforth, attracts life imprisonment. Let everyone be aware,” Mr Akpabio said.
In Nigeria, the sexual abuse of children, particularly through acts of defilement, remains deeply troubling. Studies indicate that many children experience physical, emotional, and sexual violence from an early age, with about six in 10 Nigerian children reportedly facing some form of violence before the age of 18.
Perpetrators are often individuals familiar to the child, whether neighbours, relatives, caregivers, teachers, or others within their immediate environment, making detection and reporting even more difficult.
Although public attention has centred mainly on the abuse of young girls, it is equally important to acknowledge that boys are also victims of defilement, with many of their cases going unreported due to stigma, fear, and societal silence.
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10-year jail term for rape offences
The lawmakers also proposed a 10-year jail term for anyone, male or female, convicted of sexually abusing a person of the opposite sex.
Although Kebbi Central Senator, Adamu Aliero, advocated life imprisonment for rape, the majority of senators agreed that the offence should attract a minimum sentence of 10 years upon conviction.
Clause 2(1) of the amended bill states that: “Any person who detains a man or boy, a girl or a woman against his or her will in any premises to have unlawful carnal knowledge of him or her, commits a felony and shall be liable to imprisonment for not less than 10 years.”
Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole, urged the Senate to ensure that the law recognises that rape victims can be of any gender.
“The rapist could be a male raping a male, a male raping a female, a female raping a female or a female raping a male.”
Consequently, the Senate amended the clause to cover both male and female victims of rape and sexual offences.
