Life Imprisonment Awaits Anyone Who Defiles a Minor, Says Senate

The Nigerian Senate has passed a landmark bill prescribing life imprisonment for anyone convicted of sexually defiling a minor. The bill, approved on Tuesday, eliminates any option of fines, signaling a stronger stance against child sexual abuse in the country.

The motion was initially presented by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, representing Edo North Senatorial District, who argued that the defilement of minors should be treated separately from rape due to the victims’ inability to consent. Oshiomhole had proposed a 20-year jail term without an option of fine for offenders, citing the increasing number of disturbing cases involving children as young as five or ten.

However, the Senate rejected his proposal, opting instead for a more severe penalty. Senator Muhammad Adamu Aliero of Kebbi Central advocated life imprisonment for anyone—man or woman—found guilty of defiling a child. His recommendation received majority support, leading to the passage of the bill.

With this development, sexual intercourse with a minor in Nigeria now carries a mandatory life sentence, marking one of the toughest legal responses to child sexual abuse in the country’s history.