{"id":124190,"date":"2025-12-03T20:00:52","date_gmt":"2025-12-03T19:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/?p=124190"},"modified":"2025-12-03T20:00:52","modified_gmt":"2025-12-03T19:00:52","slug":"senate-reiterates-death-penalty-for-kidnappers-terrorism-financiers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/senate-reiterates-death-penalty-for-kidnappers-terrorism-financiers\/","title":{"rendered":"Senate Reiterates Death Penalty for Kidnappers, Terrorism Financiers\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Lizzy Chirkpi<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The Nigerian Senate has again renewed its push for the death penalty as punishment for all individuals involved in kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism including perpetrators, financiers, informants, logistics providers and other enablers of the crimes.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
At Wednesday\u2019s plenary, lawmakers debated amendments to the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022, sponsored by Senate Leader Opeyemi Bamidele, with the chamber again insisting that the scale and brutality of kidnapping in Nigeria now justifies capital punishment.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The proposed amendment seeks to formally categorise kidnapping, hostage-taking and similar offences as acts of terrorism, granting security agencies broader powers to track, disrupt and dismantle kidnapping networks nationwide.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Leading the debate, Bamidele said the bill aims to \u201cdesignate kidnapping, hostage-taking and related offences as acts of terrorism and prescribe the death penalty for such offences without option of fine or alternative sentence.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
He warned that kidnapping has transformed into \u201ccoordinated, commercialised, and militarised acts of violence perpetrated by organised criminal groups,\u201d with devastating consequences for families, communities, the economy and the nation\u2019s stability.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Across all regions, he noted, kidnapping has \u201cinstilled widespread fear in communities; undermined national economic activities and agricultural output; interrupted children\u2019s education; bankrupted families forced to pay ransom; overstretched our security forces, and claimed countless innocent lives.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
A statement from the Office of the Senate Leader reiterated that Bamidele described modern kidnapping patterns as bearing \u201call the characteristics of terrorism,\u201d insisting that it is \u201cno longer adequate to treat these acts as ordinary criminal offences.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
He said classifying kidnapping as terrorism would equip security agencies with stronger tools including asset tracing, forfeiture, intelligence-led operations, and faster prosecutorial procedures under counter-terrorism law.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The bill also prescribes the death penalty not only for perpetrators but also for \u201cfinanciers\u2026 informants, logistics providers, harbourers, transporters, and anyone who knowingly assists, facilitates, or supports kidnapping operations.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cAttempt, conspiracy, or incitement to kidnap attracts the same penalty,\u201d he added, arguing that \u201cthis strong deterrent is necessary to confront kidnapping at the scale it currently operates.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The Senate Leader emphasised that Nigerians now live under constant threat, noting: \u201cNigerians are kidnapped on highways, in schools, in homes, on farms, and in markets. Innocent children, vulnerable women, hardworking men, traditional rulers, travelers, and public servants have all become targets.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cThese criminals kill victims even after ransom is paid; subject victims to brutal torture; rape, mutilate, and starve hostages\u2026 This is not a mere crime. It is terrorism in its purest form.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
He stressed that the bill does not target any community but seeks to \u201cdismantle violent networks\u201d while upholding due process and fair trial guarantees.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The debate drew strong support across party lines, with contributions from Senator Adams Oshiomhole (Chairman, Senate Committee on Interior), Senator Orji Uzor Kalu of the All Progressives Congress (Chairman, Senate Committee on South-East Development Commission), Senator Abba Moro of People\u2019s Democratic Party (Minority Leader), and others.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Presiding over the session, Senate President Godswill Akpabio approved the bill\u2019s progression and referred it to the Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters; National Security and Intelligence; and Interior for public hearing and further review. The lead committee is expected to report back within two weeks.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Oshiomhole who sponsored a similar motion last week threw his full support behind the death penalty proposal but criticised deradicalisation programmes that allow some offenders to reintegrate into society.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cSome of these guys went back to their crimes. We should not continue with deradicalisation programmes again,\u201d he said.<\/div>\n
\u201cEven the Bible and Quran say those who are killed have no right to be alive\u2026 If you are caught and convicted for acts of terrorism, then the penalty should be death.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Senator Orji Uzor Kalu noted that:<\/div>\n
\u201cNigerians have suffered in the hands of kidnappers. Young girls have been raped. Women have become widows for no reason. This must not continue again.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Minority Leader Abba Moro also endorsed the bill, insisting it must sail through second reading \u201cwith the hope that kidnappers will face capital punishment.\u201d<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Senator Victor Umeh condemned the gruesome killing of kidnap victims and called for strict enforcement against networks and financial institutions that enable ransom payments.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\u201cThey will collect ransom and still kill their victims\u2026 We should do everything to amend the Terrorism Act to classify kidnapping as terrorism,\u201d he said.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The latest move marks yet another attempt by the Senate to impose capital punishment on kidnappers, terrorists and their supporters\u2014a demand that has resurfaced repeatedly in recent years amid worsening insecurity.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
With renewed urgency, lawmakers say the death penalty is now unavoidable as Nigeria faces what Bamidele described as \u201ca war on the people\u201d that threatens national unity, economic stability and the safety of every Nigerian family.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Lizzy Chirkpi The Nigerian Senate has again renewed its push for the death penalty as punishment for all individuals involved in kidnapping, banditry, and terrorism including perpetrators, financiers, informants,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":109300,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-124190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\nSenate Reiterates Death Penalty for Kidnappers, Terrorism Financiers\u00a0 - Pointblank News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/pointblanknews.com\/pbn\/news\/senate-reiterates-death-penalty-for-kidnappers-terrorism-financiers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Senate Reiterates Death Penalty for Kidnappers, Terrorism Financiers\u00a0 - 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