Oluwo of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, on Saturday urged the Federal Government to legalise the use of stun gun and pepper spray for females as defence items against rape in the country.
In a statement issued by his Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, the monarch said possession of a stun gun or pepper spray was temporary protection against rape and urged the federal government to permit women access to the two items for immediate rescue from rapists.
He said: “The reported cases of rape are alarming and call for serious concern by responsible stakeholders. Apart from a constitutional penalty against rapists, I want to charge the government to consider the legalisation of the use of stun guns and pepper spray by females as protective items against unapproved sexual attempts.
“Many ladies have been raped and killed. I have a strong belief that the items when approved for females will protect them against such an unjust treatment and return sanctity to our society.
READ ALSO: Reps vote against castration as punishment for rape
“By that, the constitutional provision is a long term punishment while pepper spray and stun gun are short term defence measure. The defence instruments could form part of females’ accessories in their handbags and purses.
“The spate of reoccurrences is unassuming. It must be checkmated through further constitutional legislations to invite sanity to our society and respect the dignity of Nigerian females.
“There are training sessions available overseas for females to learn how to use a stun gun and pepper spray in warding off attackers. The trauma of rape victims is an eternal curse of no remedy. Rape victims are mentally disturbed and emotionally imbalanced. “
Opinions