Nigerian state says rapists will face surgical castration and death penalty in some cases

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — The governor of Nigeria’s Kaduna state has signed a law saying men convicted of rape will face surgical castration, and anyone raping a child under age 14 will face the death penalty.

As for women, if they’re convicted of raping a child under 14, their fallopian tubes could be removed.

Those found guilty of raping someone over the age 14 will face life imprisonment, under the newly amended penal code.

Gov. Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai says the “drastic penalties are required to help further protect children from a serious crime.”

Reported cases of rape in Nigeria have risen dramatically during the months of coronavirus restrictions, and women's groups have called for tougher measures, including the death penalty.

Kaduna's new measures are the strictest in Nigeria, Africa's most populous country.