The Bauchi State House Assembly during its plenary on Tuesday passed the second reading of a bill on Violence Against Persons (Prohibition).
The bill which is sponsored and presented by the Speaker Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y Suleiman seeks to eliminate violence in private and public life; prohibit all forms of violence, including physical, sexual, psychological, domestic, harmful traditional practices; discrimination against persons and to provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders.
Leading the debate on the motion the Speaker who stepped down and allowed Deputy Speaker Hon. Danlami Ahmed Kawule to preside the plenary lamented the ugly events currently happening in the country and particularly Bauchi State in which violence against persons mostly in the form of rape and other domestic violence on both women, men and children are becoming the order of the day
He cited cases such that of Uwa Vera Omozuwe, a 22 old girl from Edo State who was gang-raped and killed by her rapers, the case of Barakat Bello, an 18 old girl who was raped and killed in her parents’ home, the case of a 17-year-old girl who killed her husband in Itas/Gadau Local Government, the case of a 47 years old man who defiled two young boys in Kaigari Community of Bauchi State and the case of a young man who was allegedly killed by 6 people at Old Trafford Hotel Yalwan Bauchi as scaring, unfortunate and alarming.
“My Honourable Colleagues, these and many more other ugly cases are happening within and around the State. Unfortunately, some or most of the culprits go unpunished.
“They raped and also killed their victims. How many more girls need to die this way? We cannot continue this way. We cannot continue to look away and ignore these murders. This is insane.
“This is the time for us to do something tangible to provide adequate and serious protection for the vulnerable members of our societies against violence.
“As representatives of the people, it has become duty-bound on us to do something that will protect and defend these people. It is against this background that I crave for your indulgence to support me in the successful passage of this very important bill into law.” He said.
After a brief debate on the bill which the members unanimously commended, it passed first and second reading.
The House also referred the bill to the House Committee on Women Affairs for further legislative processes.
Abdul Ahmad Burra
Spokesperson to the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly.
10th June 2020.
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