… Lawmakers Move To Classify Kidnapping As Terrorism
… Amendment To Terrorism Act To Impose Mandatory Execution
Daud Olatunji
The Senate on Wednesday adopted a decisive and hard-line position against Nigeria’s growing kidnap epidemic, proposing the death penalty for anyone convicted of the crime.
During plenary, the upper chamber resolved to classify kidnapping as an act of terrorism and urged the Federal Government to immediately amend the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act to make execution the mandatory punishment for offenders.
Lawmakers said the drastic measure had become necessary as abductions continue to surge across the country, destroying lives, crippling communities and deepening national insecurity.
According to the resolution, once the Act is amended, any individual found guilty of kidnapping would automatically face the death sentence.
“Upon conviction for kidnapping, the death penalty must be enforced,” the Senate declared.
Several senators who contributed to the debate argued that current penalties have failed to deter criminals, insisting that treating kidnapping as terrorism would give security agencies and prosecutors stronger legal backing to impose maximum punishment.
The resolution follows rising public outcry over repeated abductions targeting students, travellers, farmers and entire rural communities, many of whom remain in captivity for weeks or months.
The proposed amendment is to be forwarded to the relevant Senate committees for drafting before being transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence.
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