The Nigerian Senate on Tuesday unanimously passed a landmark bill mandating life imprisonment for anyone engaging in sexual intercourse with a minor, with no option for fines.
The measure, aimed at dismantling the scourge of child sexual abuse, signals a zero-tolerance era for predators across the nation.
The bill’s passage came during a heated plenary session, where senators amplified calls for stiffer penalties amid rising reports of defilement cases.
Sponsored initially through a motion by Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Edo North), the legislation faced initial pushback before Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) proposed the decisive amendment. “I want to propose that the punishment for defilement for minors be life imprisonment, whether it’s a man or woman found culpable,” Aliero declared, a statement that galvanized the chamber and led to swift adoption.
The law explicitly targets offenses against children under 18, building on the 2015 Sexual Offences Bill but closing loopholes with unequivocal lifelong incarceration.
Advocates hailed the move as transformative. “We are winning,” proclaimed child rights activist Ify Okoye, echoing a sentiment rippling through social media and civil society.
Groups like the Child Protection Network, which lobbied fiercely, noted the bill could deter thousands of unreported incidents annually, where over 60% of victims are under 14, per UNICEF data.
As the gavel fell, senators rose in applause, a rare bipartisan moment in Nigeria’s legislative arm.
The bill now heads to President Bola Tinubu for final approval, potentially reshaping safeguards for generations.