*Passes VAPP bill into law
By Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi State House of Assembly on Monday passed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill into law.
The bill which stipulates life imprisonment for rapists in the state, also stipulated that any one who aids rapists will also face the same jail term as the offender.
The passage of the bill was sequel to the report of the House Joint Committee on Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and Judiciary in which the lawmakers formed a committee of the whole to look into the bill clause-by-clause.
Speaking after the passage of the bill, the Speaker of the House, Hon. Mathew Kolawole, described rape as a grievous offence that should be condemned in its entity.
“The passage of this bill and its assent by his excellency will send a strong warning to any one who intend to perpetuate this ungodly act,” he said.
Reacting to the passage of the bill, the Executive Director Challenged Parenthood Initiative, (CPI), Eunice Abimbola Agbogun, who sponsored the bill said, “When we challenge status co and stereotypes we achieve results.”
“We had challenged the Kogi State Government and Members of the Kogi State House of Assembly on the VAPP BILL during this year’s international women’s Day, And we are happy that they’ve listened and have done the needful.”
“Kogi State is our Dear State hence we must put in place all necessary policies and laws to protect it’s citizenry. We are concerned about all persons’ safety in the State as well as Sexual Gender Based Violence Against our Women and Girls.”
“With this new development of the passage of the Bill, Im optimistic that perpetrators will think twice before committing any crime. We await His Excellency, our Gender Sensitive Governor to assent the VAPP BILL into Law.”
