Lagos: Lawmakers approve death penalty for kidnappers
Kidnappers in Lagos will now face death sentences when caught, the State House of Assembly has said.
The anti-kidnapping bill seeking death penalty for offenders was passed by lawmakers on Thursday and it will take effect as soon as Governor Akinwunmi Ambode signs it into law.
Kidnappers whose victims die in their custody will get the capital punishment while those whose victims do not die will get life sentences.
An attempt to kidnap will also attract life imprisonment while false representation to release a kidnapped or abducted person will attract seven years imprisonment.
“Any person, who kidnaps, abducts, detains, captures or takes another person by any means or tricks with intent to demand ransom or do anything against his/her will, commits an offence, and liable on conviction to death sentence,” it states.
The lawmakers also approved 25 years imprisonment jail term for whoever threatens to kidnap another person through phone call, e-mail, text message or any other means of communication.
The bill states that any person, who knowingly or willfully allows or permits his premises, building or a place to which he has control of to be used for the purposes of keeping a kidnapped person, is guilty of an offence under the law and liable to 14 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The new measure of punishment for kidnappers is aimed at checkmating the menace of abductions that have threatened the peace in the state.
