Kidnapping Epidemic: Nasarawa, Enugu, Kano, Others To Implement Death Sentence
Ten states in Nigeria—Kano, Benue, Bayelsa, Enugu, Anambra, and Nasarawa—have made the commitment to fight the growing abduction epidemic by enforcing the death penalty and life in prison for those found guilty of kidnapping.
In the midst of the nation's abduction epidemic, ten states have committed to enforcing the death penalty and life in prison for kidnappers found guilty.
The states made the commitment on Tuesday as Olukayode Egbetokun, the Inspector General of Police, sent intelligence teams to state commands and formations in an effort to combat the nationwide wave of kidnappings and other crimes.
Several northern states, including Kano, Benue, Bayelsa, Enugu, Anambra, and Nasarawa, confirmed in separate interviews that they will execute anyone found guilty of kidnapping within their borders.
State officials from Kwara, Ondo, and Osun promised to see to it that applicable anti-kidnapping legislation—which includes life in prison—was put into effect.
The wave of kidnappings that has swept through several states and the Federal Capital Territory in recent weeks has put the country on edge.
Gunmen have kidnapped dozens of victims and demanded millions of naira in what seemed to be an organized crime operation.
The anti-kidnapping law in Kano State, which stipulated the death penalty for offenders, will be enforced by the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, according to Director-General of Media and Publicity Sanusi Tofa.
“We will continue with the death sentence on kidnappers as approved by the immediate past administration,” Tofa said on Tuesday.
Although the anti-kidnapping law had been in place since the colonial era, it was not until the state assembly amended it that kidnappers faced any severe penalties.
Anybody found guilty of kidnapping would be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of a fine under the amended law.
Nonetheless, the ex-governor of the state authorized the death penalty for all those convicted of kidnapping in 2019.
“The law provides for death sentence for kidnappers who abduct and kill their victim, while kidnappers who abduct but did not kill their victim, if apprehended and found culpable, would be jailed for life,” Ganduje had said while signing the amended bill into law in 2019.
Attorney-General Fidelis Mnyim, who also serves as Benue State's Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, stated that the administration of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia is dedicated to enforcing the anti-kidnapping law, which stipulates that abductors must be executed.
He said, “The present administration is 100 per cent committed to the implementation of anti-kidnapping law of the state.”
The 'Bayelsa State Kidnapping and Allied Offences Act, 2013', the replacement for the Bayelsa Anti-kidnapping law, stipulated the death penalty for the kidnapping offense.
Former governor Seriake Dickson approved it after the House of Assembly passed it.
The law gives the governor the authority to sign the death sentence of an individual or group of individuals found guilty of kidnapping and other related offenses.
Prof. Chika Ifemeje, the Anambra State Commissioner for Justice, was not available for comment. However, a representative of the justice ministry stated that the Anambra State House of Assembly had amended the state Criminal Code, making kidnapping a capital offense for anyone found guilty.
The official said, "The legislators at one of their plenary sessions amended sections 315 and 316 of the Criminal Code to stipulate capital punishment for offenders.
“Although, no offender has yet been punished and there is no plan yet to review the laws to recommend life imprisonment, the state government, through the relevant agencies and security apparatus, is doing everything possible to ensure strict enforcement of anti-kidnapping laws."
A North Central state official noted that in states where kidnapping incidents resulted in fatalities, the offenders would be executed, whereas in cases where the victim was not killed, the offenders would be sentenced to life in prison.
The laws of Nasarawa
The State Kidnapping Act Prohibition Law, 2020 in Nasarawa stipulates that any property used by kidnappers will be forfeited and that the owner of such property will be subject to a 20-year jail sentence upon conviction.
The legislation approved by the state House of Assembly was signed into law by Governor Abdullahi Sule.
He clarified that the purpose of the law was to address kidnapping, conspiracy to kidnap, attempt to kidnap, fake kidnapping, making false claims to free a kidnapped victim, and aiding kidnappers in escaping.
The state's attorney general and commissioner for justice, Mr. Charles Titiloye, spoke about the steps taken to end kidnappings in Ondo and affirmed that the state was following the anti-kidnapping law.
He mentioned that the state's citizens were the reason behind the law's passage.
The commissioner said, “The bill was signed into law by the Dr Olusegun Mimiko administration. The penalty is life imprisonment.”
The law was passed by the state's sixth assembly, according to Mr. Taofeek Abdulsalam, a former speaker of the state House of Assembly. He also added that the offender faces life in prison for kidnapping.
He said, “It was passed into law during our time (Sixth Assembly) and the penalty is life imprisonment.”
Ibrahim Suleiman, the AG and Commissioner for Justice of Kwara State, revealed that the state's punishment for kidnapping is life in prison.
Nonetheless, the Inspector General (IG) on Tuesday directed the posting of 54 Assistant Commissioners of Police to lead the Force Intelligence Departments at the zonal and state command levels across the country in an effort to strengthen the campaign against kidnappings.
The upscaling of the Force Intelligence Bureau to the Force Intelligence Department was approved by Egbetokun in September 2023.
The State Government of Enugu has promised to strictly enforce the Anti-kidnapping Law 2009's provisions.
According to Mr. Aka Eze, the state commissioner for information, the Enugu State government, headed by Governor Peter Mbah, takes the safety of its residents' lives and property seriously and doesn't play around.
The Enugu State House of Assembly unanimously approved a bill on February 19, 2009, according to PUNCH reports, making kidnapping with the use of a gun a capital offense in the state.
However, the law stipulates that anyone found guilty of kidnapping without using a weapon will serve ten years in prison.
The law, which was amended and went into effect on February 19, 2009, replaced the previous one, which carried a 10-year prison sentence.
The Federal Government was advised by attorney Rabiu Musa to follow Plateau State's lead and execute anyone convicted of crimes related to kidnapping.
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