How states tackle rape cases across the country

As federal and state governments put in place tough measures to tackle the increase in rape cases, Daily Trust Saturday takes a look.

Rivers State has so far secured judgement for five cases of defilement, while over 15 cases of incest are still pending in court.

• How state governors, assemblies are promoting rape – NAPTIP
• #JusticeForUwa heats up cause against rape

The Director of Social Welfare in the state’s Ministry of Women Affairs, Iminabo Fubara, disclosed that the state government is using the Child Rights Law to deal with child sexual abuse.

In Osun State the House of Assembly enacted a law that imposes stiffer sentence on perpetrators of rape to the extent that anyone found guilty will be liable to life imprisonment.

However, for Borno State, the punishment is 14 years imprisonment and above, depending on the gravity of the crime and the age of the survivor. But a fresh bill is before the State House of Assembly, seeking a review law and the range of punishments for rape, among other sexual offences.

At the moment, there are no definite figures for convictions in Borno State.

The Penal Code and Child Right Act has been in full force in Niger State since 2010 when it was enacted as many convicted of rape offences have been jailed.

The Director General, Niger State Child Right Agency, Barrister Maryam Kolo told Daily Trust Saturday that “some are facing life imprisonment, some with other jail terms while many are awaiting trial.”

In Benue State, the state House of Assembly made a legislation against violence at home in 2008 but it is not clear what specific punishment should be meted to rapists.

Daily Trust on Saturday could not independently verify the document at the time of this report as the director in possession of it at the Assembly was not in the office after repeated visits.

The State House of Assembly in Kaduna State passed the Penal Code law for the state and the Child Welfare and Protection Law in 2017, which was assented by Governor Nasir El-Rufai in 2018. Both laws provide life imprisonments as punishment for convicted rapists.

In Enugu State, the Speaker of the House, Chief Edward Ubosi told protesting International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) members that the state legislature had passed an anti-rape bill, although he did not give details of the bill.

On the other hand, the Edo state Government has signed into law the Violence Against Persons [VAP] Bill which gives life imprisonment for a rapist if found guilty. It also makes provision that a man who beats his wife, risks two years in prison if the case is proven.

Also, Female genital mutilation attracts life imprisonment without an option of fine. Meanwhile, a 53-year-old man, Vincent Akande, was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for forcefully raping a 14-year-old girl by a Magistrate Court sitting in Igarra, Akoko Edo local government of the state.

In Jigawa State also, rape is punished with imprisonment for life or for a term not less than ten years.

On his part, the Kano State Attorney General, Barrister Ibrahim Mukhtar, said, “We have a legislation, which is under the Penal Code Law that has been amended by the state government because of the rising number of cases in the state. Under this law, the punishment of rape is a minimum sentence of 14 years in prison, unlike before, where one can be sentenced for less than a month.

Under the Criminal Laws of Lagos State (Section 258) a rapist is liable to get life imprisonment. Also, the state has a sex offenders register.

Section 261 of the Adamawa State Penal Code 2018 prescribed punishment of not less than 21 years jail term for rape while sexual assault attracts not less than three-year term.

In Kogi State there is no existing internal legislation that stipulates specific punishment for rape offenders. However, the Child Rights Act, 2003 domesticated in the State in 2009, takes care of such abuse targeted at juveniles.

A private lawyer, Barrister Ifeoma Okechukwu said the domestication of the law was a mere political show, adding that the document only exists in name.

Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State last week signed into law the Sexual Violence Against Children act and reiterated his administration’s determination to prosecute sex offenders as well as grant victims the necessary treatment by government.

Fayemi also promised to engage the Nigeria Governors’ Forum in a conversation on the issue to determine emergency measures to put in place to address the crisis situation more effectively.

Victor Edozie (Port Harcourt), Hameed Oyegbade (Osogbo), Uthman Abubakar (Maiduguri) Romoke W. Ahmad (Minna), Hope Abah Emmanuel (Makurdi) Lami Sadiq (Kaduna), Tijjani Ibrahim (Kano), Tony Adibe (Enugu), Usman A. Bello (Benin), Christiana T. Alabi (Lagos), Kabiru R. Anwar (Yola), & Ahmed Tahir (Lokoja)