The Nigerian Senate has approved a major amendment to the Criminal Code Act Cap. C.38 which prescribes life imprisonment for persons found guilty of defiling minors. The amendment also removes the statute of limitations on defilement cases and expands the scope of rape offences to include male victims.
The bill, sponsored by Oluremi Tinubu and reported by the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, successfully passed third reading on Tuesday.
It followed reviews of Section 218 and Section 221 of the Principal Act, which previously established a two-month time limit for prosecuting defilement offences and defined male victims only in limited cases. The amendments now recognise any “minor” and eliminate the previous limitation period.
Under the new law, perpetrators who unlawfully have carnal knowledge of a child or minor will face life imprisonment. The Senate also increased penalties for kidnapping and other related sexual offences, emphasising the need for tougher deterrents against crimes targeting children.
Lens News learnt that legal experts welcomed the development as a critical step toward reinforcing child protection in Nigeria, but they cautioned that the effectiveness of the law will depend heavily on enforcement, proper funding, and reform of the justice-system processes.
If gazetted, the amendment would mark one of the stiffest penalties for defilement offences to date in Nigerian federal law. Advocates have called for swift implementation and public awareness campaigns to ensure the law translates into real protection for minors across the country.
