The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other related offences has advocated for the castration of convicted rapists.
The body, which expressed worry over the increasing cases of rape and child abuse in the country, said it would soon open a sex offenders register where the names and details of convicted rapists would be published and shared with embassies and popular workplaces nationwide.
The agency urged Nigerians not to keep quiet about rape and cases of abuse.
The Director-General of the Agency, Julie Okah-Donli, made the agency’s position known at a press conference in Abuja on Friday.
According to her, “Nigerians must report cases of rape and violence. They must speak up and get justice. Nobody should be ashamed to expose suspected rapists. When rape suspects are arrested, we don’t allow families to settle rape cases out of court.
“There is a law somewhere in the United States where it was agreed that rapists would begin to be castrated. I just pray that we can push that law so that we can begin to castrate rapists. This is so that they will never rape again.
“Our agency does not tolerate any form of sexual abuse against women and men. I take it personally when it comes to women. Nigerians must begin to learn that violence and rape should be reported to NAPTIP.
“We are going to open a sex offenders register. This register will be for convicted rapists and the details of their backgrounds will be published and sent to embassies and popular workplaces in the country. This is so that everyone will know about their backgrounds and be wary of them. Concerning foreign nationals, we will share the details with their home countries for the appropriate actions.
“As part of the measures to minimise rape and sexual violence in the country, NAPTIP has concluded plans to commence advocacy visits to state governments and other partners to adopt and domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act,’’ Okah-Donli said.
