Niger assembly proposes death penalty for rapists, others

The Niger state House of Assembly on Thursday said it will consider a law to provide for death penalty for rapists and other sexual offenders in the state.

The House stated this during a motion at the plenary drawing attention to the rampant cases of rape and other sexual assault cases against women, and children across the country.

The motion was moved by the member representing Gurara Constituency, Hajiya Binta Mamman and seconded by the member representing Agwarra Constituency, Alhaji Ahmed Bello.

Speaker of the House, Alhaji Abdullahi Wuse, said that the House condemns the recent cases of rape, such as that of the student of University of Benni that was raped and killed.

He also cited the cases of an 85-year-old woman that was raped by her grandson and two girls raped for 10 years by their father in the state.

Wuse directed the state chief judge to designate a special court that would be saddled with the responsibility of trying rape offenders in the state.

He called on the state government and the state Ministry of Women Affairs to embark on the sensitisation of people against the stigmatizing rape victims.

The speaker said the House would set up a committee mandating the state ministries of women affairs and justice to examine various law provisions concerning rape and come up with a report.

Earlier, the sponsor of the motion, Hajiya Mamman in her presentation, said in spite of the amendment of the Penal Code in some states, the state was still dealing with rape and sexual offenders.

She said that victims of rape face stigma by people which discourages them and their parents from reporting such incidents to the appropriate authorities.

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“It is pathetic as a mother and it makes one insecure especially when you have children that you have tried to train into the society to become responsible.

“It is an alarming issue; indecent dressing should not be used as an excuse for rape. It is alarming and this has become a pandemic. It is not only girls that are victims, young boys are also being raped,” she said.

Mamman added that there was need to amend the law to provide for death sentence on convicted rape offenders, adding that the state law on the prohibition of street hawking by children should be adequately enforced.

Seconding the motion, Bello blamed the police and the judiciary for delaying investigations, prosecution and conviction of rape offenders.

Also, the member representing Suleja Constituency, Liman Shuaibu, said the weak and non-enforcement of laws contribute to the escalation of the menace of rape.

He noted that cases of rape have become a pandemic and was causing more damage than the coronavirus in the country.