On Monday, December 1, 2014, the erstwhile governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola at the Lagos House in Ikeja, signed an Executive Order establishing a Sex Offenders’ Register in the state.

The major aim of the executive order was to reduce repeat cases of sexual offences by pro¬viding names and personal details of convicted sex offenders in the state in a central database.

According to the then Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye, “The Database will be accessible to individuals and organisations that need information. For example, school proprietors who want to recruit can access this register as a form of background check.

“The Mandated Reporter policy will make it compulsory for all State School Administrators, Counsellors, Teachers, Social Welfare Officers and any other official of the state government having any dealings with children to report any suspected or actual child abuse or neglect to the Attorney-General’s office.

“It is envisaged that the Lagos State Sex Offenders Register will be open and maintained by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice in partnership with the Lagos State Judiciary, the Nigerian Prisons and the Nigerian Police,” Ipaye added.

Fast forward to 2020, six years after the Executive Order was signed, the issues of rape and sexual related offences seem to be on the rise. The situation has gone worse to the extent that some men abuse months old babies.

Concerned by this evil and disturbing trend, the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Wednesday, December 11, held a public hearing on a Bill titled; “A Bill for a law to provide for the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, the Establishment of the Sex Offenders Register and for Other Connected Purposes”.

To show the importance of the Bill, major stakeholders, who graced the occasion included the First Lady of the state, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu who was represented by the State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Mrs. Cecilia Dada.

Others who graced the event included the wife of the Speaker, Mrs. Falilat Obasa, who was rep-resented by Hon. Tijani; the representatives of the State Chief Judge, Justice Sherifat Sholabo and Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Yetunde Longe took charge for the Commissioner of police and the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo.

The objectives of the Bill, when passed into law, will include: guaranteeing the protection of rights of victims against domestic and sexual violence crimes in the state; protect victims of Sexual and Gender Based Violence crimes from discrimination and stigmatization; establish a Sex Offenders’ Register in Lagos State for the purpose of assisting law enforcement agencies in investigating crimes of a sexual nature and protecting members of the society from sex offenders; reduce and eventually eliminate incidences of child molestation, domestic and sexual violence crimes in the state; and ensure that victims of domestic and sexual violence crimes have access to medical, legal and counselling assistance. (Sunday Independent)

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