Akwa Ibom Okays Life Imprisonment for Rapists

Governor Emmanuel Udom has signed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, VAPPL, 2020, which empowers judges to hand down life imprisonment to anyone convicted of rape in Akwa Ibom state. The state’s commissioner for agriculture and women affairs, Glory Edet said the bill is aimed at discouraging the spate of violence in the society. Edet said “I think this is one of the best things that has happened to protect the female gender and as the commissioner overseeing women matters, I believe the women of Akwa Ibom, the children and even our men are happy because this law will really teach defaulters a lesson.