Amid concerns as to the growing wave of rape as well as debates on the best form of punishment to be meted to rapists, Minister of State in the Federal Capital Territory FCT, Dr Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu has opposed the option of a death penalty, advocating instead that offenders be castrated.
The minister made the call in Abuja shortly after the distribution of palliative items to the leadership of FCT National Council of Women Societies NCWS, Nigeria Labour Congress NLC FCT chapter and Nigeria Football Association of Coaches FCT chapter.
Aliyu, revealed that the FCT Administration was working closely with security agencies and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP) to push for serious institutional framework that would ensure justice is served, stressing that members of the community would be engaged in the battle against rape especially of minors.
Special Assistant on Media to the minister, Austin Elemue in a statement said Dr Aliyu described rape of minors as a heinous crime, maintaining that death penalty was not the best of option for offenders.
According to her, “We will involve every member of the community in this battle against rape. Just recently, we were in search of one offender, and definitely we will nip it in the bud. And in conjunction with all the security outfits, NAPTIP, in the Federal Capital Territory, we are keeping watch, and for any offender that we get, we will take it to any length to ensure that he is not fit to live.
“We are also pushing for serious institutional framework that will ensure that justice is done. It is not enough to just jail such a person, definitely punishment like castration will do. When we kill them, they die and not remembering anything, therefore they should be castrated and roam the streets and remain inactive”.
Aliyu used the occasion to appeal to leaders of the organizations to ensure that the palliative items get to the vulnerable, assuring that in no distant time Nigeria would be free from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have been going round and round in the distribution of palliatives in the Federal Capital Territory. But I know you must have been wondering why we have not come to those who really labour, those who really spare their time to ensure that we succeed.
“It is not because we did not appreciate your contributions, but because we have to take the battle to the poorest of the poor who are domiciled in the rural areas. We combed every part of the territory to ensure that the message of President Muhammadu Buhari gets to them,” she stated.
Responding, the President of FCT Council of National Council of Women Societies, Hajia Hadiza Umar, thanked the FCT Administration for the kind gesture, just as she assured that the items would be distributed among widows in the society.
The statement added that while the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) FCT Chapter received 1000 bags of 5kg rice and 1000 bags of condiments, National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), FCT, 1000 bags of 5kg rice and 1000 bags of condiments, the Nigerian Football Coaches Association, FCT chapter got 80 bags of 5kg rice and 80 bags of condiments.
In advanced countries of the world, chemical castration of sexual offenders is a form of punishment. This is done via injections to render the culprit incapable of the sexual urges that is a precursor to the physical act of attacking and raping a woman. Chemical castration is handed down as an order of court. The offender is regularly monitored when they are in prison and when they are released. I am in support of the stiffest penalties for rapists and all sexual and gender based offences.
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