Women Affairs Minister advocates death for rapists; Commissioner hails castration law in Kaduna

By Muhammad Adam (Girei, Adamawa Sept. 11, 2020)/Hussaina Yakubu (Kaduna Sept. 11, 2020)

Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, has advocated death penalty for rape and related offences.

She made her stand public during the Flag-off of National Cooking Gas and Tree Planting project held in Girei town, headquarters of Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa on Friday.

This is as the Kaduna State Commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba on Friday, commended the state Assembly for passing a law approving castration as punishment for rapists in the state.

She made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna.

Paulen Tallen also advocated stiff penalty for child labour offences and other dehumanizing treatment against children.

“For the first time in the history of Nigeria, we have a President who has brought the issues of gender based violence to national focus.

“Nigerian women and children are very grateful to Mr President for spotlighting their issues as crucial to national development.

“I, therefore, advocate both death sentence for rapists and stiff penalty for child labour offences and other dehumanizing treatment against children,” Tallen said.

She noted that the Cooking Gas and Tree Planting project was inspired by President Muhammadu Buhari in providing dividends of democracy to Nigerian indigent rural women and girls.

Tallen said that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), emission from cooking stoves killed about 4.3 million people annually through air pollution.

The minister said the event was to create awareness and sensitize the public, particularly women and other stakeholders, on the effects of using firewood for cooking.

“In line with this, the President directed that each of Nigeria’s 774 LGAs be supplied 1,000 cooking gas cylinders each.

“Adamawa State has been supplied with 21,000 Gas Cylinders at 1000 for each of the 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs).

“The development is Presidential gesture to be distributed to women in the rural communities, wards and down to the remotest villages,” she said.

She said President Muhammadu Buhari during the 2019 session of the United Nations General Assembly pledged to plant 25 million trees within one year.
Tallen noted that the planting of economic trees in the state was to stimulate green environment, stem climate change and the effect of deforestation in the communities.

Hajiya Hafsat Baba in her interview with NAN said that the approval by the assembly was a clear indication that the lawmakers were very concerned about the rising cases of rape, including of minors, in the state.

“It Is a very welcome development for all of us, and the people that have been calling for harsher punishment of either castration or death penalty,” she said.
The commissioner expressed the hope that parents and the general public would help in ensuring that rapists no longer go scot free.

She disclosed that from January to May 2020, over 400 cases of assault and rape were reported to the four sexual assault referral centers in the state.

Mrs Baba said although the cases had reduced slightly compared to the same period in 2019, it is still very alarming.

She cautioned parents of rape victims against covering up or keeping silent, but help to ensure that perpetrators are properly dealt with in accordance with the law.

“I will advise parents not to give up but should try and go to government hospital if there is any rape case. It is not acceptable by law to go to private hospital because the results are not being acknowledged by the court,” she said and
called on the media to do more in assisting and enlightening the public for people to know about the law on Gender Based Violence, and follow up the story to conclusion.

The commissioner said the ministry has constituted a team working on GBV, supported by development partners to ensure that justice is done to the victims.

She added that the state government is also providing free services to victims at its four sexual assault referral centers, including social support and rehabilitation.

Mrs Baba reiterated that the government will ensure the prosecution of any rapist and others engaged in gender based violence in the state.

She however said that the main challenge has to do with parents of victims withdrawing cases or getting paid by perpetrators to keep silent.