…Child Protection Bill In Pipeline
Gbolahan Salman Sokoto
After much deliberations and consultations Sokoto State government has transmitted a bill for an Act to investigate, prosecute and penalise rapists and other offenders.
This was part of the outcomes of a three days marathon meeting of the state executive council held at Government House, Sokoto during the week.
At the close of the meeting, the Child Protection Bill, which was part of the bills tabled for deliberation by the council, was stepped down for further consideration in the next council meeting.
This is according to a statement signed by the Special Adviser on media and publicity to the governor, Muhammad Bello and released to journalists in the state on Thursday.
The statement said the state Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Suleiman Usman (SAN), said the state governor had explained that the bill will again be tabled in a not too far off date before the year runs out.
On the Violence Against Persons Bill (A Bill For A Law To Provide For The Punishment of Offences Related To Violence Against Persons [ Gender-Based Violence], Usman said it “is meant to supplement the provision of the extant Penal Code, i.e. the Sokoto State Penal Code Law (2015).
He said the Bill that will be transmitted to the the Sokoto State House of Assembly (SOHA), “has strengthened the punishment regime in cases of rape and sexual harassment, so that these crimes that have become pandemic more than epidemic are really curtailed.”
