Senate raises penalty for child defilement to life imprisonment
The Nigerian Senate has approved a life imprisonment penalty for anyone convicted of defiling a minor — a dramatic escalation from the current five-year jail term under the nation’s criminal code.
The resolution followed consideration of the Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which seeks to impose stiffer punishments for sexual offences and related crimes.
Lawmakers described the defilement of minors as a “heinous act capable of destroying a child’s life forever”, insisting that the punishment must reflect the gravity of the offence.
“The Senate has decided that any defilement of a minor in Nigeria henceforth attracts life imprisonment — without an option of fine,” Senate President Godswill Akpabio declared after a unanimous voice vote. “Let everyone be aware.”
The bill, initially passed by the House of Representatives and transmitted to the Senate for concurrence, received broad bipartisan support on Tuesday.
The Senate also toughened the penalty for rape and related sexual offences. Under the amended provision, any act of forced sexual intercourse — involving a boy, girl, man, or woman — will now attract a minimum of ten years’ imprisonment, compared to the previous five-year term.
Former Kebbi State Governor, Senator Adamu Aliero, had proposed life imprisonment for rape offenders, but the chamber settled on ten years as the baseline punishment, leaving room for judges to impose stiffer sentences in aggravated cases.
The Senate’s reworded clause now ensures that both male and female victims are recognised under the law — a change inspired by observations from former labour leader, Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
The Guardian Newspapers
