The Nigerian Senate has passed a new bill prescribing life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of sexually defiling minors in the country.
According to the bill, any man or woman who engages in sexual intercourse with a child will face life imprisonment without the option of a fine.
The motion for the bill was moved by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District. He emphasized that defilement of a minor should be treated differently from rape due to the victim’s inability to give consent.
“For a minor, this is a child who cannot consent and whose life can be permanently damaged. Those who commit such crimes deserve the strictest punishment,” Oshiomhole said.
The former Edo State governor initially proposed a 20-year jail term without an option of a fine for offenders, citing alarming cases of children as young as five and ten being defiled by adults.
However, his proposal was overruled by the majority in the Senate, who voted in favor of a stricter penalty.
Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero of Kebbi Central thereafter proposed a life sentence for offenders, a recommendation that was unanimously supported by lawmakers.
“I propose that anyone found guilty of defiling a minor, whether male or female, should face life imprisonment,” Aliero said.
With the passage of the bill, defilement of minors now carries one of the heaviest penalties under Nigerian law, marking a major step in the country’s fight against sexual violence and child abuse.
