Senate President's Statement on the 'Sexual Harassment Bill' Which Passed 2nd Reading Today

 

A bill prohibiting sexual harassment of students by their lecturers in Nigerian tertiary educational institutions has scaled second reading today at the Senate in Abuja.  

It was reported yesterday  that a bill for an Act which prescribes five-year jail term for lecturers of Nigerian higher institutions who indulge in s*xual relationship with their students or harass them, scaled second reading at the senate. 

 

Below is Senate President, Bukola Saraki's statement over the passage of the bill's second reading; 

 

"Today at the Nigerian Senate, we passed a Bill to Criminalize Sexual Harassment in Nigerian Universities for its Second Reading.

"Many young Nigerian boys and girls suffer at the hands of lecturers, fellow students and those in administrative positions of power when they seek to further their education in our universities.

"This bill, once passed and signed into law, will help stamp out all forms of harassment to make our schools more conducive for our students.

"I can attest to the fact that I have received anonymous emails and messages urging the Senate to make sexual harassment in our universities a criminal offence. In this regard, as we have taken this pivotal step to get this bill off the ground

 

"I enjoin members of the civil society and students across the country to join in the process to make sure that this bill is passed and signed, so that students can receive the protection and backing of the law as they pursue their education."