Lagos State government enforces death sentence for kidnappers
The Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday, November 28 enforced death sentence for kidnappers in the state, however with a clause that “if their victims die in captivity.”
This was a follow up to a report presented by Mrs Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Petitions, Human Rights and Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).
Tejuosho presented the report of a Stakeholders meeting on a bill titled: “A Bill for a Law to Provide for the Prohibition of the Act of Kidnapping and for Other Connected Purposes.”
According to NAN, the bill sponsored by speaker Mudashiru Obasa proposes life sentence for kidnappers, if their victims die in captivity.
It particularly emphasizes that 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, is liable on conviction to death sentence.
The bill also stipulates life imprisonment for attempted kidnap.
In addition, the bill proposes 7 years imprisonment for false representation to release a kidnapped or abducted person, while 25 years imprisonment was stipulated for whoever threatens to kidnap another person through phone call, e-mail, text message or any other means of communication.
The bill also entails that any person, who knowingly or willfully allows his premises, building or a place or belonging under his control to be used for the keeping of a kidnapped person is guilty of an offense under the law and is liable to 14 years imprisonment without an option of fine.
NAN reports that the policymakers amended some sections of the bill while debating the report before its adoption.
The bill, which ultimately seeks zero tolerance for kidnapping, however, awaits third reading before it will be sent to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for assent.
The Kano State government recently signed into law life imprisonment for kidnappers.
