Kaduna State House of Assembly has approved surgical castration as punishment for anyone convicted for rape in the state.
The lawmakers have also okayed 21 years jail term and life imprisonment for rapists of adults and minors respectively.
This follows the amendment of the State Penal Code (No.5) law of 2017 which stipulates stiffer penalties for rapists in the state as part of the effort to protect women and children against any form of gender violence.
Spokesman of the Assembly, Musa Ahmed, disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Kaduna state on Friday, September 11.
According to him;
With the new law, anyone convicted of rape will have his organ surgically removed so that upon completion of his jail term, he will not be able to commit the crime again.
He said that in addition to the castration of the convicted rapist, the new law recommends 21 years imprisonment for the rape of an adult and life imprisonment for the rape of a minor.
The approval comes a month after wife of the Kaduna State governor, Hajia Ummi El-Rufai, had during a public hearing on the bill seeking the amendment of the penal code advocated either castration or death sentence for rapists.
She described rape, especially of minors as gross violation of the rights of women and children.
El-Rufai expressed concern that an average of five rape cases, especially minors are recorded in Kaduna State on daily basis.
The governor’s wife noted that only severe penalties for rapists in the state penal code will serve as a deterrent to others.
Reacting to the development, the state commissioner for woman’s affairs and social development, Hafsat Baba, described the approval by the state assembly as a “welcome development” and said that it will serve as a “deterrent” for rapists.
Kaduna state governor, Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai will now need to sign the bill for it to become law in the state.
