By Abel Leonard / lafia
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly, has passed into second reading a Bill for a Law to Enact the Nasarawa State Gender Based Violence (Prohibition) Law and other Matters Connected Therewith.
RT. Hon Nehemiah Tsentse Dandaura, the Deputy Speaker of the House announced the passage of the bill after the sponsor of the bill RT.Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, the Speaker of the House presented the bill during the House proceedings in Lafia today.
The deputy speaker committed the bill to the House Committee on judiciary and Women Affairs to work on the bill and report back in the next four weeks.
Earlier, Rt.Hon Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, the Speaker of the House while presenting the substance of the bill said that the rampant cases of rape in the state and Nigeria is worrisome, hence the need of his decision to sponsor the bill.
“For sometimes now, Nasaawa State have been in the news due to cases of rape.
“In the last couple of months, Nasarawa State has recorded over 40 cases of rape.
“The most painful one was a case of a three months baby in Adoge in Lafia Local government Area of the state.
“And the second one was a case where 85 years woman was allegedly rape in Awe Local Government Area of the state.
“Recently, we have received delegations from FOMWAN and first lady of the state. Their visits was in respect to campaign against rape.
“And we promised them that the House will come up with a law that will provide a stiffer penalties against those perpetrating the act to serve as deterrent to others, hence the need of the bill.
“This is because we cannot sit down here and fold our hands watching our mothers and girls being rape, ” Balarabe Abdullahi said.
Hon Tanko Tunga, the Majority Leader of the House seconded the motion for the passage of the bill into second reading.
most of the members who contributed during the sitting lauded the speaker for sponsoring the bill.
They have added that the bill if finally passed into law would address the issue on all violence against human and with Stiffer penalties.
