Nigeria: Rapists On the Prowl -Why Cases Rise-NHRC

25 August 2007

Kaduna — Why do rape cases seem so much on the rise? Why are rapists now targeting mostly three-year-olds? There are no easy answers to these questions. But what is gaining unanimity is that the law punishing rapists is too lax and most of the victims hail from poor homes.

Deputy director and head of legal and investigation of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), an agency at the forefront of the fight against rape, Mr. Z.O Sebanjo told Weekly Trust: "Poverty is at the centre of rape. The law punishing rape must also be reformed. There must be a law reform on the crime of rape. There is no way a rapist should get less than life jail."

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