Following the gruesome gang rape and murder of Barakat Bello in Akinyele Area of the State, Oyo State House of Assembly is set to review the existing laws on sexual violence and impose stricter punishment for the offence.
The Chairman, Parliamentary Council of the House of Assembly, Hon. Ayotunde Fatokun made this known today while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan, shortly after visiting and commiserating with the family of Barakat.
Barakat, until her untimely death was a National Diploma student studying Science Laboratory Technology at the Federal College of Animal Health and Production, Ibadan.
Fatokun, who represents Akinyele Constituency 1, in the State House of Assembly, stated that it was imperative for people to support government by exposing evil doers and criminals in their community to law enforcement agencies.
As a way to check rising cases of rape and other violence against women in Oyo State, Fatokun revealed that there is ongoing inter-committee legislative business with the House Committee on Women to properly scrutinise existing law and review it where appropriate.
He said, “I just spoke with Hon Wumi, the Chairman House Committee on women today to ensure that we look into the law that protects women and guaranty their security. We are working tirelessly and we are going to really come up with a meaningful outcome. I have visited the Barakat’s parents. I have called my colleagues in the house to work together on this. We are working with the police now and I would like to tell you that the police station in Ikereku had been abandoned for a very long time but we have now mobilised police officers there now”.
While speaking on herdsmen insecurity, Fatokun berated the security threats posed by the herdsmen as witnessed in some parts of the state and promised that the laws that had already been made would be enforced as soon as the Amotekun Corps is inaugurated next week.
“We have made laws on anti-open grazing. The law will be fully enforced as soon as the Amotekun corps is inaugurated next week. They will work with the police and the civil Defence Corps to ensure the law is enforced”, he explained.
Speaking on the efforts of the government to curb COVID-19, Fatokun said the failure of the interstate lockdown rests primarily on the security agents, who are in charge to man the roads but act otherwise.
With respect to the re-opening of schools and places of worship, the lawmaker said the decision to take this step would be taken after there is decline in the cases recorded in the state,
“The Governor will address the issue of reopening of schools and places of worship soon. But I need to say that when we met with the health officials yesterday, one of the issues we discussed is that some people are symptomatic. Therefore, there is the need to ensure a decline in the cases before the worship centres are re-opened. It will be easier for us to open schools and worship centres when there is a drastic decline in the cases of the virus. It is the failure of iSON XPERIENCE failure to adhere to the government instructions that has been responsible for the increase in the cases in the state. But, it is declining at the moment”, he said
The Legislator however noted that, “We should be careful, and adhere to the measures recommended by the health practitioners in order to stay safe. We should protect ourselves by washing our hands regularly, using of nose mask, not putting our hands in our mouth”.
