Yobe State Governor approves 14 years jail term for homosexuals, kidnappers; life imprisonment and 25 years for rape of minors and adults

Governor Ibrahim Gaidam on Monday, signed the Yobe State Penal Code 2018 amendment bill into law.

The law stipulates life imprisonment and 25 years jail term for rape of minors and adults respectively.

Signing the law at the Government House in Damaturu, the Governor said that government took a proactive action in view of the rampant cases of rape, kidnapping and unnatural offences being reported across the country.

“Whoever commits rape, where the victim is a minor, shall be punished with imprisonment for life and where the victim is an adult, shall be jailed for a term of 25 years,” he said.

He said that any kidnapper arrested in the state shall on conviction be punished with imprisonment for 14-years.

“Anyone who is ascertained and convicted to commit homosexual, lesbianism or bestiality have committed unnatural offence and shall on conviction be punished with me imprisonment for a term that may extend to 25 years or not below 14 years, " he said.

“The law stipulates that whoever takes, entices, confines any person by means of force, threat or deceives such person without his consent or lawful authority with intent to deprive him of his personal liberty will be construed to have committed the offence of kidnapping,” he said.

According to the governor, the court shall also award appropriate compensation to the survivors of rape as it deems fit in the circumstance.

Mr Gaidam said his administration was committed to the speedy dispensation of justice to attain a peaceful, egalitarian, disciplined and prosperous society.