The chairman, Parliamentary Council of the Oyo state House of Assembly, Ayotunde Fatokun, on Friday disclosed that the Assembly “is set to review existing laws on sexual violence and input stricter punishment.”
Fatokun, who made the disclosure in Ibadan while speaking with newsmen
shortly after visiting and commiserating with the family of Barakat Bello.
According to him, this became necessary in view of the gang rape and murder of Barakat Bello in Akinyele area of the state.
He said the House of Assembly “is set to review existing laws on sexual violence and input stricter punishment,” adding that it was imperative for people to support government by exposing evil doers and criminals in their communities to law enforcement agencies.
Fatokun said as a way of checking rising cases of rape and other violence against women in Oyo state, “There is on-going inter-committee legislative business with the House Committee on Women to properly scrutinise existing law and review it where appropriate.”
He said, “I just spoke with Hon. Wumi, the chairman, House Committee on Women, today to ensure that we look into the law that protects women and guaranty their security. We are working tirelessly and we are going to really come up with a meaningful outcome. I have visited the Barakat’s parents.
“I have called my colleagues in the house to work together. We are working with the police now and I would like to tell you that the police station in Ikereku had been abandoned for a very long time but we have now mobilised police officers there now.”
On herdsmen, Fatokun said the laws that had already been made would be enforced “as soon as the Amotekun Corps is inaugurated next week.”
“We have made laws on anti-open grazing. The law will be fully enforced as soon as the Amotekun Corps is inaugurated next week. They will work with the police and the civil defence Corps to ensure the law is enforced.”
