Giant Stride: Nigeria Launches First Sexual Offenders Register
The Federal Government in collaboration with strategic partners has unveiled the Nigeria sexual offenders register. The Nigerian Sexual Offenders Register was launched yesterday, November 25, 2019, and Nigerians have hailed this move as a step in the right direction.
The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) launched the sex offenders register to curb sexual violence in the country. The peculiarity of the launch yesterday is that it marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women.
To clamp down on sexual abuse, NAPTIP set up a database of those convicted for sexual violence. Record will be available online to help the public, agencies & police.
With this register, victims can now report an incident and also go through the names of those convicted. The register has a search feature which enables individuals and organisations to access information on the identity and location of arraigned sexual offenders. The sexual offender register will contain the names of anyone prosecuted for sexual violence in the country since 2015.
The register which will have the pictures and all particulars of convicted sexual offenders in the country will also have a section that offenders who were never convicted will be displayed for an administrative fee.
A number of Nigerians took to various social media platforms to positively react to the development. Celebrity mum, Busola Dakolo, who accused COZA pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of rape, also reacted writing:
“Today, marks the beginning of the 16 days of Activism against Violence Against Women and is also the day when National Sexual Offenders Register is being launched by NAPTIP with the support of the European Union.”