Stakeholders to established sexual offenders register | Jeremy spell blog

Stakeholders have engaged in conversation
to fashion out ways to facilitate the
development of sexual offenders’ register in
the country.
The stakeholders consultation held in Abuja
was facilitated by the Rule of Law and Anti-
Corruption (RoLAC) programme of the
British Council and funded by the European
Union.
Mrs Amina Salihu, consultant to RoLAC, said
the development of sexual offenders
register was crucial in advancing the
implementation of Violence Against Persons
Prohibition (VAPP) Act 2015.
Salihu, who expressed worry over
incidences of sexual assault in the country,
said the register would serve as a measure
to stop and prevent sexual offences “as it
intends to name and shame offenders”.
According to her, it will serve as a source to
verify profiles of would be employees in
sensitive positions such as child care.
She explained that the register would
provide biometric database that would
share verifiable information of offenders in
order to prevent repeat offending.
On her part, the Component Manager of
RoLAC, Mrs Priscilla Ankut, said that while
the register would go a long way to assist
in tracking offenders, it would also protect
victims of violence.
“The reason we are here is to make sure
that National Agency for Prohibition of
Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), which is
responsible for coordinating the
implementation of the Act should maintain
and display publicly sex offenders register.
“This is to name and shame offenders and
to create database for different agencies to
track offenders and to deter those who
practice sexual assault in our society.
“What we have today is a template of what
sexual offenders register should look like
and what we will do with the information
that are contained in it,” she said.
Ankut further explained that information
contained in the register would provide
victims the needed guide to know where to
go for succour.
“What that register seeks to do is to ensure
we collate data of all the relevant agencies,
put it out in the public so that people will
know where they need to go if there is
violation.
“And if they go there, they are treated in
confidence, they get the kind of treatment
they need and resources are available to
provide them the needed assistance.
“There are those that are confident enough
to pursue a legal track and there are those
who need legal help so this register will
help victims to know where they go to get
such help.”
Representative of International Federation
of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Mrs Ezinwa
Obiajunwa, canvassed for the establishment
of a special court for speedy dispensation
of justice on cases of violence against
persons in the country.
The VAPP Act 2015 prohibits all forms of
violence against persons in private and
public life, and provides maximum
protection and effective remedies for
victims and punishment of offenders.
Development of sexual offenders register is
a provision of the VAPP Act designed to aid
in preventing some violence against
persons, including rape, willfully placing a
person in fear of physical injury, coercion
and harmful widowhood practice.
Others are stalking, abandonment of
spouse, children and other dependents
without sustenance, among others.