The Nigerian Senate has passed a life imprisonment bill against paedophiles and anyone who has sexual encounters with minors.
Child sexual abuse in Nigeria is a criminal offence under several sections of Chapter 21 of the country’s Criminal Code. The legal age of consent is 18.
A 2015 report by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) found that one in four girls and one in ten boys in Nigeria had experienced sexual violence before the age of 18.
The bill passed on Tuesday stipulates that any man or woman who engages in sexual intercourse with a minor (child) will face life imprisonment with no option of fines.
