By The Editor
Abuja, Nigeria — In a landmark move to strengthen child protection laws, the Nigerian Senate has passed a bill mandating life imprisonment for anyone convicted of defiling a minor, with no option for a fine.
The bill, part of the Criminal Code Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was initially passed by the House of Representatives and is now moving through concurrent legislative processes. The legislation aims to address gaps in existing laws and increase penalties for sexual offences.
Leading the debate, Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele emphasized that the bill seeks not only to protect minors but also to eliminate gender discrimination in the prosecution of sexual crimes. Under current law, defilement carries a five-year prison sentence, but this amendment would raise the punishment to life imprisonment.
In addition to addressing child defilement, the Senate also proposed a minimum 10-year jail term for rape, broadly defined as non-consensual sex involving any person, regardless of gender, in any location, including brothels and private premises.
Specifically, Clause 2(1) of the bill states:
“Any person who detains a man or boy, a girl or a woman against his or her will in any premises in order to have unlawful canal knowledge of him or her; in a brothel or any place, commits a felony and attracts a minimum jail term of 10 years, on conviction.”
However, deliberations stalled when senators raised concerns about the abortion clause in the proposed amendments, particularly regarding its religious and ethical implications. Following extended debate, the Senate voted to step down further consideration of the bill and referred it to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights for further review.
The committee is expected to report back with recommendations within two weeks.
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