Bill To Punish Sexual Offenders In Tertiary Institutions Passed By National Assembly

A bill to make provisions for the prohibition and punishment of sexual offenders in Nigerian tertiary institutions has been passed by the National Assembly.

The bill was first passed by the Senate back in 2020, with the House of Representatives also passing theirs. The difference was that both had contrasting provisions.

Speaking on Wednesday, the Chairman Senate Committee on Judiciary, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, stated that the conference committee of both chambers harmonised the different positions.

Bamidele said the above while presenting the report during the plenary session.

The proposed bill is aimed at criminalising sexual harassment by educators against students in tertiary institutions.

Legislation to make compulsory the inclusion of preventive measures against sexual and gender-based violence in the curriculum of all levels of secondary education in Nigeria was also passed by the National Assembly.

Tales of sexual harassment have become the norm in Nigerian tertiary institutions, with students sharing tales of tutors taking advantage of them in order for them to have good grades.

With the new bill, it is expected that those engaged in the vice will be exposed to face the full wrath of the law.