🇳🇬 A Must Read for Every Nigerian
On The Proposed Senate Bill on Life Imprisonment for Persons Convicted of Defilement of Minors
Protecting Our Children Is Protecting Our Future
By Dr. (Mrs.) Juliet O. H. Muoneme PhD mni
This morning on Raypower FM, we discussed one of the most painful yet urgent issues confronting our nation — the Senate’s proposal for life imprisonment for persons convicted of defilement of minors.
This conversation is close to my heart because every policy that defends a child strengthens the nation’s moral backbone.
Child defilement is not just a crime — it’s an assault on the soul of a child and a betrayal of trust that leaves wounds words cannot describe.
When a society fails to protect its children, it begins to lose its moral compass.
The Reality
Every time a child is defiled, a lifetime of trauma begins.
No punishment can fully restore innocence — but the law must be firm enough to deter those who prey on the voiceless.
That is why I strongly support the proposal for life imprisonment for offenders.
It sends a clear message that childhood is sacred and cannot be violated without consequence.
However, the conversation must not stop at punishment.
We must go deeper — to prevention, early education, and the moral reawakening of our society.
The Hard Truths From the Radio Discussion
During the Raypower conversation, one critical point was raised — the difficulty of providing evidence in court when a minor is abused.
Many cases collapse, not because the crime didn’t happen, but because proof is hard to obtain and victims are silenced by fear, shame, or pressure from family and community.
Parents and guardians often hesitate to report — fearing stigma, family disgrace, or endless court processes that retraumatize the child. And so, abusers walk free.
This is where our fight must be focused: Strengthen forensic investigation and DNA testing capacity.
Establish child-friendly sexual offences courts for quick, sensitive trials.
Train law enforcement and judicial officers in handling child victims with compassion.
Mandate schools, hospitals, and faith institutions to report — not cover up — abuse.
The Way Forward
If life imprisonment becomes law, let it be more than a sentence — let it be a national vow that the life of every Nigerian child is sacred, untouchable, and worth defending at all costs.
But laws alone cannot heal. We must:
Teach consent, empathy, and responsibility early.
Make homes, schools, and faith spaces safe and transparent.
Encourage community vigilance — because silence protects abusers.
Provide counseling and reintegration support for survivors.
Justice must punish, but it must also protect and heal.
The Call
To our lawmakers — please pass this bill swiftly and ensure enforcement mechanisms are strong.
To parents — speak up, stand up, and believe your children.
To schools, faith institutions, and communities — never protect abusers in the name of image.
To every Nigerian — remember: when we defend one child, we defend the soul of the nation.
If this law becomes a turning point for our conscience, Nigeria will rise stronger, safer, and more humane.
Let us make the defilement of minors not just illegal — but unthinkable.
Because the true victory will come when no child needs the law to be safe — because our homes, schools, and hearts have already become their first line of defense.
#ProtectTheChildren #JusticeForMinors #ChildSafetyFirst #nigeriaforchildren #endchildabuse #RaypowerFM #PublicDialogue