Nigerians react as the first national Sexual Offenders Register is launched in Nigeria

The Nigerian Sexual Offenders Register was launched today, November 25, 2019, and Nigerians have hailed this move as a step in the right direction.

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) launched the sex offenders register to curb sexual violence in Nigeria. They chose today, which marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence Against Women, to launch the register.

To clamp down on sexual abuse, NAPTIP set up a database of those convicted for sexual violence. Record will be available online to help the public, agencies & police.

With this register, victims can now report an incident and also go through the names of those convicted. The register has a search feature which enables individuals and organisations to access information on the identity and location of arraigned sexual offenders.

The sexual offender register will contain the names of anyone prosecuted for sexual violence in the country since 2015.

A number of Nigerians took to various social media platforms to react to this.

Busola Dakolo, who accused COZA pastor Biodun Fatoyinbo of rape, also reacted writing: “Today, marks the beginning of the 16 days of Activism against Violence Against Women and is also the day when National Sexual Offenders Register is being launched by NAPTIP with the support of the European Union.”