Bill to make kidnapping in Akwa Ibom capital offence underway

A bill on kidnapping is soon to be sent to the State House of Assembly for members to deliberate and pass it into law for the crime to attract a capital offence.
 
When this bill becomes operational, Akwa Ibom will be the third state in the Country after Lagos and Rivers States to have made kidnapping a capital punishment.
 
The State Governor, Chief Godswill O. Akpabio who stated this during the dedication of a child of Mr. Nse Ube, a Special Assistant to the Governor on Projects Monitoring at Revival Valley Ministries International, IBB Way , Uyo urged Christians to wage spiritual war against kidnapping and other social vices.

“Before now, some youths in the Niger Delta Region adopted militancy to fight against marginalisation, neglect and deprivation of the region. 

Today, the youths have abandoned the cause to engage in kidnapping of innocent Niger Deltans which is criminality.  We must rise up and fight against it otherwise if the crime like HIV disease does not infect you now can affect you later”, Akpabio warned.
 
He disclosed that so far, 49 kidnappers were cooling their feet in the police net in the state, disclosing that “The crime is serious. You won’t believe that my local government chairman has just seen kidnapped by unknown gunmen.”
 
“We must co-operate to ensuring the bill is passed into law.  Any aggrieved local government councilor who aids or abets the kidnapping of his chairman for any ransom if caught must face the same penalty like the kidnapper too,” the governor hinted.
 
Akpabio argued that this crime is caused by a breakdown of cherished family values such as sound moral uprightness and good parenting of children in the society.
 
The State Chief Executive, therefore, stressed the need for inculcation of religious education among children in schools from cradle to enable them to imbibe sound morals.
 
The governor emphasized the need to entrench religious education in the school curriculum for children to embrace religious values for a healthy living.
 
He called on the church to be actively involved in the crusade to rid the society of ills plaguing the system.
 
Akpabio, who donated N2 million for the church building in Uyo and N2 million for similar project in Ikot Ekpene, harped  on the need for Christians to be sincere and faithful in serving and worshipping God, remarking “Worship God for who He is and do not be hypocritical about it to attract God’s immense blessings”
 
The President of the church, Arch- Bishop Idem Ikon stressed the need for parents to bring up their children in the fear of God to make them useful citizens for the state and the country a whole.
 
Arch- Bishop Ikon who commended the governor for his numerous development strides in the state appealed for the construction of deplorable Etinan-Abak Road.