The Federal Government has concluded plans to launch a Sex Offender Register to keep record of rapists and perpetrators of other forms of vices in the country, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV gathered that the initiative is aimed at naming and shaming such persons, no matter how placed they are in the society.
According to the Director-General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Mrs. Julie Okah, she said the implementation of the register is aimed at putting an end to all forms of violence against persons in private and public life.
In a statement made available to Igbere TV by the NAPTIP boss, she added that the initiative, once implemented, would provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders.
She intimated of plans to share information gathered through the register to embassies, companies and the general public, in a bid to pass a strong message to potential offenders.
“The spate of this mindless abuse of children, rape and other forms of violence against persons has assumed an alarming dimension and concerted efforts must be made to minimise the development.
“By the end of this month (July), we are going to be launching the sex offenders register. This register is going to name and shame all the rapist in Nigeria.
“We are also going to share the information with all the embassies, offices where people are likely to apply for jobs, sensitive offices where rapists and paedophiles should never be seen working.
“At the time we begin to name and shame them, I believe that it will send a strong message to those who are planning to rape and they will desist from that heinous crime,” the statement read in part.
Mrs Okah concluded by adding that “these crimes can be prosecuted irrespective of the time”; and urged rape victims to speak up and get their offenders punished.
