Group seeks death penalty, life imprisonment for r*pe offenders

The Clans Club International, an Abuja-based non-profit organisation has added its voice to growing calls for stringent punishment against those found guilty of r*pe in the country.

The group which focuses on humanitarian issues, made the call at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday through its spokesman, Abundance Effiong, who lamented that many rape victims were bullied into silence because of the fear of stigmatisation.

According to Effiong, the group was worried about the increasing spate of sexual violence especially against women, as many states of the federation have refused to domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act.

Read also: Nigerian govt to inaugurate committee on gender-based violence, says no mercy for rape suspects

The spokesman said; “Many victims are not able to speak out because they are stigmatised and blamed when they do so.

“We have the VAPP that has not been domesticated by the governors, we are very much aware that it is only one state that has domesticated this law.

“We are calling on the National Assembly, we are calling on the Federal Government, we are calling on the judiciary – they should take this issue of rape so seriously. Imagine your sister being raped; imagine your mother being raped. We even see people raping little children but what are the authorities doing about it?

“As a matter of fact, there is nothing wrong in giving people life sentences, there is no wrong in executing rapists. This is a pressing matter,” he concluded.

This came after the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly sought tougher sanctions against rapists in the state and has thus urged all law enforcement agencies, courts and relevant stakeholders in the Criminal Justice system in the State to consider sexual offences as “a first line priority.”

This came to light on Thursday, during a plenary session by lawmakers who also urged the Ministry of Justice to consider bail opposition, as well as rejecting plea bargaining proposals in rape and gender-based violence cases.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now