Senate Approves Life Imprisonment for Child Defilement

The Nigerian Senate has approved life imprisonment as the new penalty for anyone convicted of defiling a minor, replacing the previous five-year jail term prescribed by the nation’s criminal code.

This decision followed the passage of the Criminal Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which aims to strengthen punishments for sexual offences and related crimes.

Lawmakers described the defilement of minors as a “barbaric and destructive act” that permanently damages the victims, insisting that the law must reflect the seriousness of the offence.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, after a unanimous voice vote, declared: “The Senate has decided that defilement of a minor will now attract life imprisonment, without the option of a fine. Let this serve as a warning to all.”

The bill, which was earlier passed by the House of Representatives and transmitted to the Senate for concurrence, received overwhelming bipartisan support during plenary.

In addition to the new penalty for child defilement, the Senate also approved harsher sanctions for rape and related sexual crimes. Under the new law, any act of forced sexual intercourse, whether against a man, woman, boy, or girl, will attract a minimum of ten years’ imprisonment, up from the previous five-year sentence.

While Senator Adamu Aliero (Kebbi Central) had proposed life imprisonment for rape offenders, the chamber agreed on ten years as the minimum term, giving judges discretion to impose longer sentences in more severe cases.

The amendment also expanded the legal definition of rape to include male victims — a change inspired by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, who argued that “rape can happen to anyone, male or female,” and that the law must reflect that reality.

The revised clause now reads: “Any person who detains a man or boy, a girl or a woman, against his or her will for unlawful carnal knowledge commits a felony and shall, upon conviction, be sentenced to not less than ten years’ imprisonment.”

However, deliberations became heated when the Senate reached the section addressing abortion and pregnancy termination. Some lawmakers expressed concern that unclear language could criminalize doctors performing life-saving procedures.

Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) warned that “if left vague, the law could endanger medical practitioners who act in emergencies to save women’s lives.”

In response, Senate President Akpabio directed the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and Legal Matters to review the provision within two weeks and present a clearer, more balanced version.

Once harmonised with the House of Representatives version, the bill is expected to become one of the most robust legal frameworks against sexual violence and child abuse in Nigeria’s history.

Legal experts and child rights advocates have hailed the development as a landmark step toward protecting vulnerable citizens, ensuring justice for victims, and closing longstanding legal loopholes.

“Today, the Senate has drawn a moral line,” Akpabio concluded. “There will be no more tolerance for predators and no more silence for victims.”