James Adamu
The Nigerian Senate has passed a resolution proposing the death penalty for convicted kidnappers.
The resolution seeks to formally classify kidnapping as a terrorist act, bringing it under the harshest provisions of the law.
The decision, reached during a plenary session on Wednesday, signals a major shift in the legislative approach to the rampant abduction cases plaguing the country.
If passed into law, the bill would make capital punishment the mandatory sentence for anyone convicted of kidnapping, removing judges’ discretion to impose lighter sentences or fines.
According to the resolution, the Senate Leader has been instructed to present an official amendment to the relevant statutes in the “shortest possible time” to enforce this new stringent measure.
Lawmakers defended the severe penalty, emphasizing that the rising wave of abductions necessitates a reclassification of the crime.
They argued that kidnapping’s devastating impact on victims, families, and society at large is tantamount to terrorism and should be treated with corresponding severity.
This legislative action comes amidst growing public outrage and pressure on the government to address the pervasive insecurity. The Senate’s move is seen as a direct response to the surge in kidnap-for-ransom gangs operating across various parts of the nation.
The proposed bill will now move through the standard legislative process, requiring a harmonization with the House of Representatives and final assent by the President to become law.
More details to follow…
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