News Post

In an attempt to check the increasing menace of sexual harassment of students in the nation’s institutions of higher learning, the Senate on Wednesday, May 30, 2018 deliberated upon and passed a very crucial Motion titled “The growing trend of sexual harassment in the Higher Institution of Learning: The Case of Monica Osagie”, sponsored by Sen. Biodun Olujimi (Ekiti South).

The Senate observed that the growing menace and culture of sexual harassment in our institutions of higher learning and the psychological, physiological as well as emotional damage, perverts in our places of learning brings upon our children in school as a result. The menace was part of the reason in October 2016, the Senate passed into law the Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institutions (Prohibition) Bill and prescribed severe punishment for offenders.

Sen. Abiodun Olujimi acknowledged the case of brave Nigerian and student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Monica Osagie who in an audio recording which went viral was able to expose her lecturer demanding for sex in order to increase her grades. The Motion scaled through with three resolutions below:

i) Mandate the Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to carry out a full scale investigation of the case of Monica Osagie and the OAU lecturer in order to ensure that there is transparency and accountability; and that satisfactory justice is done to the victim involved and our laws are further strengthened for effectiveness.

ii) Invite the OAU Authorities to explain the steps taken and the outcome of their internal investigation on the matter as well as institutional reviews it has carried out, together with such further proposals aimed at nipping the problem in the buds.

iii) Urge the House of Representatives to move quickly to concur with the Senate Bill on Sexual Harassment in Tertiary Education Institutions (Prohibition) Bill, which has been transmitted to the House as this will provide succor and a window of solace for victims of these kind of atrocities across the country in our higher institutions of learning.

Similarly, the Red Chamber has deliberated upon and passed a second Motion titled “Illegal confinement of underage offenders and infant in the same prison with adult prisoners”, sponsored by Sen. Victor C. Umeh (Anabra Central). The Motion sailed through with four prayers below:

i) Urge the Legal Aid Council to step up efforts to ensure that underage children are not prosecuted without legal representation.

ii) Call on the Federal Government to establish more juvenile remand/correctional homes and crèches attached to all female prisons across the nation.

iii) Urge the various Security Agencies that are involved in the arrest and detention of the juvenile to ensure that they are not incarcerated beyond 48 hours and when conviction is secured, ensure they are separated from the adult inmates.

iv) Mandate the Committee on Interior to invite the Controller General of Prisons to brief it on the state of Prison Inmates in Nigeria and to investigate the confinement of underage offenders and infants with adults in our Prisons and report back within four weeks.

Meanwhile, the Senate has adopted the Conference Committee Report on the harmonized Nigerian Financial Intelligence Agency (Establishment, etc.) Bill, 2018 (S.B. 535), sponsored by Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (Eguna North).

In addition, the Chamber has equally passed for second reading twelve legislation that include:

1) A Bill for an Act to provide for the licensing and regulation of Private Detective and Investigators and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 436), sponsored by Sen. Ike Ekweremadu (Enugu West). The Bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence to report back in four weeks.

2) A Bill for an Act to Amend the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Act CAP J1 LFN 2004 and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 625), sponsored by Sen. Barau I. Jibrin (Kano North). The Legislation has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.

3) A Bill for an Act to amend Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act CAP E3 LFN 2004 and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 559), sponsored by Sen. Barau I. Jibrin (Kano North). It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.

4) A Bill for an Act to repeal and re-enact the Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) Act CAP N102 LFN 2004 and for related matters, 2018 (S.B. 626), sponsored by Sen. Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East). The Bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions to report back in four weeks.

5) A Bill for an Act to establish the Federal College of Forestry Toungo and for other related matters, 2018 (S.B. 320), sponsored by Sen. Ahmadu Abubakar (Adamawa South). The legislation has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.

6) A Bill for an Act to amend the Federal High Court Act CAP F13 LFN 2004 and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 648), sponsored by Sen. Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North). It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to report back in four weeks.

7) A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of Federal Polytechnic Ikom, Cross River State to provide full time courses in Technology, Applied Sciences, Management and other fields of studies and to make provisions for the general administration of the Polytechnic and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 672), sponsored by Sen. John Owan Enoh. The Bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.

8) A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of Federal University of Education, Aguleri, Anambra State and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 653), sponsored by Sen. Victor C. Umeh (Anambra Central) and Sen. Stella Oduah (Anambra North). The legislation has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.

9) A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of Federal College of Education, Illo, Kebbi State and for other related matters, 2018 (S.B. 620), sponsored by Sen. Yahaya A. Abdullahi. It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.

10) A Bill for an Act to provide for the establishment of Federal College of Education (Technical) Aghoro, Bayelsa State and for other matters connected therewith, 2018 (S.B. 615), sponsored by Sen. Foster Ogula (Bayelsa West). The Bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.  

11) A Bill for an Act to establish the Nigerian Council for Psychologists and for other related matters, 2018 (S.B. 624), sponsored by Sen. Ben Murray Bruce (Bayelsa East). The legislation has been referred to the Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service Matters to report back in four weeks.

12) A Bill for an Act to repeal the Explosive Act CAP E18 LFN 2004 and re-enact the Explosive Bill, 2018 to make provision to regulate the manufacture , possession, use, sale transportation, export and import of Explosives and other matters (S.B. 250), sponsored by Sen. Danjuma Laah (Kaduna South). It has been referred to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to report back in four weeks.