Members of House of Representatives members have rejected castration as punishment for people convicted of rape.
Hon James Faleke made the suggestion during a debate on Thursday on the motion of increased sexual violence against women particularly the rape and murder of two girls in Oyo and Edo states recently.
The lawmakers who identified ‘weak institutions, poor enforcement, poverty and unacceptable social practices’ as part of the reasons for sexual violence against women, rejected Faleke’s suggestion when Speaker of the house, Femi Gbajabiamila subjected it to a voice vote.
Countering the suggestion, Gbajabiamila asked what would happen to an older female who rapes a younger male, which generated noisy debate in the chamber.
Although the lawmakers voted against castration of rapists as an amendment to the motion, they called for stiffer penalties against persons found guilty of rape.
Debating the motion brought forward, the lawmakers condemned the increasing cases of rape in the country which they described as the most common form of violence against women.
The lawmakers said in addition to the rape cases, Nigerian women also suffer harassment and brutality in the hands of security agencies.
Contributors to the motion cited weak institutions, poor enforcement, poverty and unacceptable social practices as some of the reasons sexual violence against women is on the rise.
They also asked the Federal Government to launch a more effective campaign against rape and other forms of sexual violence against women.
In honour of victims of sexual violence in Nigeria, the House resolved that members should be dressed in black on the next legislative day, next Tuesday.
The discussion about rape and sexual assaults at the House came on the heel reports of the murder of some women in Nigeria after being raped.
It would be recalled that the police in Jigawa State on Sunday arrested 11 men who allegedly raped a 12-year-old girl.
On Monday, Nigerians expressed outrage over the rape and murder of a 23-year-old female 100-level Microbiology student of the University of Benin, Vera Omozuwa, inside a church in Edo State where she reportedly went to study on May 13.
An 18-year-old lady, Barakat Bello also raped and murdered at her house by suspected armed robbers in Akinyele Local Government Area of Ibadan, Oyo state on June 2nd.
