- Senate Classifies Kidnapping As Terrorism, Backs Death Penalty For Offenders.
- Lawmakers back death penalty for convicted kidnappers after legal amendment.
- Recent mass abductions intensify calls for stronger national security measures.
The Senate on Wednesday endorsed a resolution that officially classifies kidnapping as an act of terrorism, a move lawmakers say is necessary to confront the surge in abductions across the country.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the decision sets the stage for a major amendment to the Terrorism Act, with senators insisting that the strictest penalty must apply to anyone found guilty of the offence.
During plenary, lawmakers reached a unanimous position that once the legal review is completed, every conviction for kidnapping should carry the death penalty. The Senate maintained that placing the crime under terrorism legislation will remove loopholes in prosecution and strengthen punishment for offenders.
This development comes amid growing national concern over rising cases of kidnapping and killings. In Kwara State, 38 churchgoers were recently abducted in Eruku, Ekiti Local Government Area, while at least 10 residents were seized in nearby Isapa within the same council. In Kebbi State, 24 students were taken from Government Girls Secondary School, Maga, and in Niger State, more than two hundred schoolchildren were kidnapped in another large-scale incident.
Lawmakers said the disturbing trend shows that the country urgently needs a stronger legal framework to confront kidnapping and protect citizens.
