The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, has signed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law (2020), which subjects rape convicts to potential life imprisonment.
The Commissioner for agriculture and Women Affairs, Glory Edet, described the new law as a welcome development.
According to her, it will protect the female gender from sex offenders, who will be deterred from such acts because of the hefty sentence.
“I think this is one of the best things that has happened to protect the female gender and as the commissioner overseeing women matters, The Cable quoted Edet as saying.
“I believe the women of Akwa Ibom, the children, and even our men are happy because this law will really teach defaulters a lesson.
“This law allows for the implementation of a lot of things we were praying for and prescribes stiffer punishment for violators of the Child’s Right Act , perpetrators of violence against citizens of both gender.
“Before now violators of the female gender had some years to spend in prison but VAPPL recommends life imprisonment to really deal with the offenders and discourage the spate of violence in our society.”
This new law is coming following a nationwide outcry for stricter punishment on rapists.