If the Criminal Code Act (Amendment) Bill currently before the Senate for concurrence passes third reading, any person found guilty of defiling a minor will face life imprisonment.
The Senate is pushing for a life sentence for offenders convicted of defiling minors, regardless of gender.
However, the Upper Chamber stepped down legislative action on the five-year jail term recommended by the House of Representatives for abortionists.
The Senate’s resolution followed the concurrence given to the Criminal Code Act (Amendment) Bill, 2025 forwarded by the House of Representatives.
The bill, presented by the Senate Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central), initially prescribed a five-year jail term for offenders, but this was amended to life imprisonment following alternative recommendations during debate.
Specifically, Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) argued that defilement of minors should be treated as a crime more grievous than rape.
“Punishment for defilers should be more punitive or stringent than that for rapists. If rapists are to serve five years after conviction, child defilers should not serve anything less than 10 years,” he said.
Senator Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi Central) proposed life imprisonment instead, a motion seconded by Senator Olamilekan Adeola (APC, Ogun West) and unanimously adopted by the Senate.
The proposed five-year jail term for abortion offenders, however, faced resistance in the Senate for lack of clarity on what constitutes “illegal abortion.”
Senator Abdul Ningi (PDP, Bauchi Central) pointed out that the provisions were too vague and should specify who would be held liable—ranging from drug sellers to abortionists.
Similarly, Senator Saliu Mustapha (APC, Kwara Central) cautioned that not all abortions could be deemed illegal, citing cases where the procedure is carried out to save the life of the pregnant woman.
Consequently, the Senate stepped down that section of the bill and referred it to the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative work. The committee is expected to report back within two weeks.
Meanwhile, the Senate on Tuesday passed two bills for concurrence — the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) Act (Amendment) Bill and the Dietitians Council of Nigeria (Establishment) Bill.
The motion for concurrence was moved by Senator Bamidele and seconded by Senator Olalere Oyewumi (PDP, Osun West).
After debates on their general principles, the Senate resolved into the Committee of the Whole for clause-by-clause consideration, after which both bills were read a third time and passed.
The Federal College of Nursing and Midwifery, Oke-Igbo, Ondo State (Establishment) Bill was, however, stepped down following the Federal Government’s decision not to establish any new higher institutions for the next seven years.
Commending his colleagues after the passage of the bills, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said the amendments would promote road safety and public health awareness.
