Lagos State Publishes Names, Pictures Of Sex Offenders
The government said it will continue to publish the names, pictures of the sex offenders, nature of the offences, as well as the duration of sentences handed down by the court.
To curb the high rate of rape cases in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria, the government has started publishing details of sex offenders in the state.
In addition to the names, the list will include pictures of the sex offenders, nature of the offences, as well as the duration of sentences handed down by the court.
In a statement released on Thursday, March 10, Titilola Vivour Adeniyi, executive secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) said the decision was in line with the provisions of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency Law, “particularly section 42 which provides that the Agency is to periodically publish details of Sex convicts in the state.”
She also said letters of advisory have been issued to local governments and traditional rulers of the communities where the convicts previously resided.
“This measure is one amongst many deployed by the state government to end the culture of impunity and also serve as a deterrence to other sex offenders,” she said.
“As further provided in the law, the details of sex convicts are to be published periodically on the State Government’s website, (www.lagosstate.gov.ng), the website of the Ministry of Justice (https://lagosstatemoj.org) and the Agency’s website; (www.dsvrtlagos.org).”
She said the state government is resolute in preventing incidents of sexual and domestic abuse, while ensuring justice for all survivors.
She asked residents of Lagos to call the toll-free number, 08000333333 to report any case of domestic and sexual violence.
Nigeria launched its online national Sexual Offender Register to help members of the public, security agencies, conduct background checks, and identify sex offenders on Monday, Nov. 25, 2019. The register is being managed by Nigeria’s National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking Persons (NAPTIP).
Only two states in Nigeria, Lagos and Ekiti, had registers of sex offenders before the national register was launched. The register in Lagos State was opened in 2014 while a ‘Black Book’ for sexual offenders was opened in Ekiti State in 2013.
One in four Nigerian women are sexually abused before they turn 18, with the majority of cases of sexual abuse in the country are not prosecuted, according to the United Nations children’s agency (UNICEF).
HumAngle earlier reported how Moyosore Onigbanjo, Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, said the state recorded 10,007 reported cases of domestic violence, including sexual abuse perpetrated against adults and children between May 2019 and Aug. 26, 2021.
She also said the DVSA has continued to see a steady increase of formal reportage of domestic violence cases of over 150 cases daily despite awareness campaigns.
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