An Abuja-based non-profit organisation, the Clans Club International, has said the death penalty or life in prison will not be too harsh a punishment for rapists.

Spokesperson for the group, which focuses on humanitarian issues, Abundance Effiong, said this at a media briefing, in Abuja, on Friday.

He expressed sadness that many rape victims were intimidated into silence because of the fear of stigmatisation.

Effiong said members of the group were disappointed that in spite of the increasing rate of sexual violence especially against women, many states of the federation have refused to domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act.

He said, “Many victims are not able to speak out because they are stigmatised and blamed when they do.

“We have the VAPP that has not been domesticated by the governors, we are very much aware that it is only one state that has domesticated this law.

“We are calling on the National Assembly, we are calling on the Federal Government, we are calling on the judiciary – they should take this issue of rape so seriously. Imagine your sister being raped, imagine your mother being raped. We even see people raping little children but what are the authorities doing about it?

“As a matter of fact, there is nothing wrong in giving people life sentences, there is no wrong in executing rapists. These is a pressing matter.”

The PUNCH had earlier reported that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, recently said a total of 717 cases of rapewithin five months of 2020.

Only on Thursday, Attorney -General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami revealed government plans said plans to establish special courts to try rape cases.