Lawan calls for stiffer penalty for rape offences as Senate condemns killing of Tina, Uwa

The Senate on Tuesday condemned the spate of increased violence against young girls in the country and called for the immediate investigation into the matters, arrest perpetrators for their trial.

Tribune Online reports that the Senate also in its resolutions called on the State Houses of Assembly to amend the penal and criminal code to make the penalties for rape and sexual assault stiffer so as to deterrent to perpetrators.

Resolution of the Senate followed the motion by Senator Onots Sandy on the “increasing cases of rape and brutality against the girl child in Nigeria” advancing for justice and closure for late MissTina Ezekwe and Miss Uwa Omozuwa who were separately killed in different circumstances

The Upper Chamber while urging the Federal Government in its resolution to stage a campaign against the increasing brutality and rape of the girl child, called on the relevant security authorities to evolve proactive measures to checkmate these unfortunate occurrences.

President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan, also strongly canvassed for stiffer penalty perpetrators on rape in the country.

According to him, “we stand together shoulder to shoulder on this, and I think we need to make the penalties for rape stiffer to be sufficient deterrent for those who are involved in this, or who even desire to be involved. We have to save our future, and these girls and women are the future of this nation,” the Senate President said.

Currently, the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act prescribes life imprisonment for a convict of rape crime.

Sponsor of the motion on “increasing cases of rape and brutality against the girl child in Nigeria,” Senator Sandy Onor (PDP, Cross River Central), noted that on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, a 16-year-old girl, Miss Tina Ezekwe, was hit by a bullet when a trigger-happy policeman opened fire on a bus in Lagos.

According to the lawmaker, “efforts to save Tina proved futile as she passed on two days later at a hospital.”

Citing another incident, the lawmaker noted that “on Wednesday, 27th May, 2020, a first-year undergraduate student of University of Benin, Miss Uwa Omozuwa was brutalised and raped at her church, where she went to study in the evening of that day.”

He added that, “brutality and rape cases against the girl child in Nigeria are on the rise, with some of these cases reported and several others, admittedly unreported.”

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The lawmaker who bemoaned the lack of safety for the girl child in Nigeria said that “our young girls may no longer have the confidence to live their normal lives.

“The average young girl in Nigeria is obviously becoming terrified and scared to live with and trust her close male relatives and neighbours.”

Onor expressed worry “that most Nigerian girls and women might have experienced one form of verbal and physical abuse or assault in their lifetime.”

He stated further that the negative physical, psychological and emotional effects of rape and brutality on young girls might impact them for the rest of their lives with attendant consequences on their self-esteem and general productivity.

Onor expressed concern “that if proactive measures are not taken by relevant authorities to curb these dastardly acts and bring the culprits to justice, the cases of sexual assault and brutality will rise even further.”

The lawmaker further stated that unless timely action is taken against sexual assault and brutality, the absence of same “will hinder our growth as a nation and it is, therefore, our responsibility as leaders to rescue these young girls from the scourge of rape and brutality.”

Lending her voice in support of the motion, Senator Biodun Olujimi (PDP – Ekiti South) said, “these are very ominous times for our children, especially the girl child.

“Mr President, if the authorities do not take serious action against rape, it would become a big scourge that will eat us down the line because the girls are being attacked psychologically, and that is not good for this nation.”