Religious leaders, on Tuesday in Kaduna, described rapists as terrorists that must not be spared any punishment to deter others.

While a prominent northern Islamic scholar, Sheikh Kabir Gombe, suggested capital punishment for rapist, the Kaduna State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. John Hayab, said rapists must be punished according to the law of the land.

The clerics, who spoke at a two-day conference on Emergency Call to Action Against Rape, however, noted that the act was partly responsible for the insecurity confronting the country.

The conference was organised by one of the wives of Kaduna State Governor, Ummi El-Rufai.

According to the Islamic cleric, rapists are terrorists and should be given capital punishment as obtainable in countries such as India, China, Egypt and Iran.

Gombe listed drug abuse, human trafficking, uncontrolled sexual urge and lack of stringent punishment as some of the predisposing factors to rape.

“There is no country in the world that treats rapists with levity, because they are terrorists. Therefore, they should be treated as terrorists,” he said.

On his part, the CAN leader said, “Rape has contributed significantly to the security challenges we are facing today because many have given birth to bastards as a result of rape.

“Those children, because they lack parental care, have now grown to become criminals disturbing the peace of our society.

 “We therefore have to stand up against rape so that we don’t have many bastards in our society.

“God forbid a future where bastards will take positions of authority and direct the affairs of our country.”

The convener of the conference, Ummi, called for inclusion of local government chairmen and their spouses, traditional leaders, religious leaders, influential women leaders, influential youth leaders, heads of civil defence, heads of vigilante services as well as community volunteers in the fight against rape.