Kogi women kick against Amnesty for r*pists

Rape offenders deserve to be sentenced to death or life imprisonment, not to be granted amnesty, women in Kogi State have charged government.

Women of Kogi Central senatorial district made the call on Tuesday in Okene at a sensitisation workshop organised by the Challenged Parenthood Initiative, (CPI), in collaboration with Actionaid Nigeria for the proposed bill on Violence Against Persons Prohibition, (VAPP), which has passed through second reading in the Kogi State House of Assembly.

The Executive Director, Challenge Parenthood Initiative, (CPI), Eunice Abimbola Agbogun stressed that the bill when passed, would put an end to domestic violence in the state.

Agbogun stated that those at the grassroots need to be educated about the bill, so as to hasten the bill passage as the public hearing is around the corner.

She also noted that information obtained online, indicates that there have been 65 rape convictions between 1973 and 2019 in Nigeria.

Read also: Don’t sweep r*pe allegations against Kogi Commissioner under carpet, TUC urges IGP

“This number, no doubt is insignificant considering the number of reported cases of rape in the country. There is a need for quick passage of this law in Kogi State to address the menace of rape and other issues on violence against woman” she added.

“We have read of some horrific accounts of this heinous crime through various media channels in recent times. A lot of times, victims of this heinous crime don’t even report the incident to the appropriate authorities so their stories do not even make it to the newsroom.

“Many victims of rape, for fear of stigmatisation and being blamed for their ordeal bear the pain of the crime committed against them, thereby leaving their assailants roaming free to perpetrate more crimes. It is indeed quite unfortunate that victims are sometimes blamed for being raped.

Also speaking, the Executive Director Initiative for Grassroots Advancement, (INGRA), Mr Hamza Aliyu said the proposed bill seeks will address sexual harassment, rape, intimidation, molestation, physical or psychological threat, political violence, thuggery among others.

The team of Challenge Parenthood Initiative, (CPI), is expected to meet with the 25 lawmakers in the Kogi State House of Assembly later this week.

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