The Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, Prof. Fatima Waziri-Azi, on Thursday, in Abuja, lamented what she described as incommensurate sanctions meted to culprits of rape and sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria.
Therefore, she called for stiffer sanctions, urging the judiciary to wake up to its responsibility on the issue.
“There are some punishments that are not commensurate with the offences. An offence of a big nature like raping a child and the perpetrator is still given an option? NAPTIP wants to hear quality convictions on rape and SGBV cases,” Waziri-Azi said in her opening remarks at a one-day technical retreat for Judges and NAPTIP Prosecutors in Abuja.
She cited the sudden rise in distress calls over SGBV cases nationwide, describing it as a cue for more action.
Waziri-Azi explained that In 2023, within the period of six months, the agency have already received 663 reported cases.
However, she said the agency secured the conviction of four SGBV suspects in the FCT and a rape suspect in Sokoto.