El-Rufai’s Wife Begs Kaduna Lawmakers To Quickly Approve Castration, Death Sentence For Rapists

Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s wife, Ummi, has appealed to lawmakers in the Kaduna State House of Assembly to quickly approve an amended law recommending “castration and death” as penalties for rapists in the state.

Mrs El-Rufai made the appeal during her visit to the state’s House of Assembly on Monday.

Ummi, who lamented that Kaduna was witnessing an alarming rate of rape, said at least five cases of rape and other gender-based violence were being recorded in the state daily.

She expressed confidence that the severe penalties in the amended Penal Code Law of the state would deter rapists from continuing in their trade.

“The penal code law which scaled Second Reading in the house last week, seeks to amend Section 258 of the principal law in order to make it more effective in protecting the citizens of the state, especially women and children, against gender-based violence,” reports quoted Ummi to have said.

“I find it very imperative to make an appeal to the honorable house for the quick passage of the amended penal code, so that we can have very strict punishment regarding all matters related to rape and other gender-based violence.

“The governor has been supportive in effecting the amendment where we have different punishments, varying from castration to death sentences and every thing that is severe enough to deter intending rapists from committing such offences.

“A minimum of five rape and other gender-based violence cases take place in Kaduna daily, which is very alarming.

“Let us have the law, so that perpetrators and intending ones will be scared by the harshness as the punishment will send a clear message to them.

“With the quick passage of the bill, we hope that the rising cases will reduce drastically because the harsh and severe punishment will deter people from committing the crime.”

THE WHISTLER reports that the Kaduna State commissioner for human services and social development had revealed in July that the state recorded 485 cases of rape between January and May, 2020.

Ahmed had said the cases excluded those recorded by security agencies in the state.