Rapists to be surgically castrated under new laws in Nigeria

The governor of Kaduna state in Nigeria passed a new law that states that men convicted of rape will be surgically castrated.

Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai also said that anyone convicted of raping a child under the age of 14 will receive the death penalty under the new legislation.

Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai said that “drastic penalties are required to help further protect children from serious crime.”

The move comes after public outrage following a recent surge in rape charges amid the country’s Covid-19 restrictions.

Cases reported in the country have skyrocketed after the president extended a nationwide lockdown for four weeks in August in a bid to halt the surge in Covid-19 cases.

The new castration laws come after women’s groups called for tougher action against rapists, including the death penalty.

The new Kaduna state law is the strictest against rape in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa.

Rapists will also face life in prison. Previous laws carried a maximum penalty of 21 years in prison for the rape of an adult and life in prison for the rape of a minor.