Yes, you heard that right!
The Kaduna State Penal Code (Amendment) Law 2020 has stated that whoever rapes a child below the age of fourteen (14) years shall on conviction, be punished with surgical castration and death.
The Governor of Kaduna; Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai signed this law recently.
According to a statement by the governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye, the amendment noted that aside the punishments of surgical castration for male; and bilateral salpingectomy (removal of the fallopian tube) for female and death, rape convicts will also be listed in the Sex Offenders Register to be published by the Attorney-General of the state.
The statement titled, ‘Kaduna Update: Gov El-Rufai signs amended Rape Law of Kaduna State,’ said, “Following Malam El-Rufai’s assent to the amended law on 11th September 2020, the new law has come into effect in Kaduna State. It introduces stricter punishments than the previous law which carried a maximum penalty of 21 years imprisonment for the rape of an adult and life imprisonment for the rape of a child.
“Under the amended law, the punishment for the rape of a person older than 14 years will include surgical castration or removal of fallopian tubes, but the death penalty shall not apply.
In cases where the rape convict is also a child, the court shall order an appropriate punishment under the Children and Young Persons Law Cap 26, Laws of Kaduna State 1991.
While commending the members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly for passing the amendments, the governor stated that these drastic penalties are required to help further protect children from a serious crime.
