Senate okays death penalty for kidnappers

Members of the Senate yesterday May 4th, agreed to facilitate the process of enacting a law that will prescribe death penalty to anyone found guilty of kidnapping. At the house plenary, the senate prevailed on state governors to also enact laws that will prosecute anyone found guilty of kidnapping.

Speaking during the debate, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, supported the motion and also narrated his personal experience with kidnappers

“Just recently, one of my relations also was kidnapped. So, I believe I am talking as an expert or an experienced person in kidnapping.

I know the psychology of kidnappers because I stayed for two days with them. These are normal human beings who are sometimes looking for money and also afraid of security agencies. I think there are three types of kidnappers. There are some who kidnapped either to make a statement or to intimidate the government, like the Boko Haram people and the Niger Delta militants. Then there is another type of kidnappers, these are just normal armed robbers.

Sometimes, they just kidnapped you, put you in the boot and they can even use the vehicle as an escape or they use it to rob. Such kidnappers, once they succeed, it’s either they take away the vehicle, use it or they dump their victim. But the third type, which is very dangerous, is the professional kidnappers, who kidnapped for money and that is the one we are focusing on this afternoon. We have encouraged this type of kidnapping because we panic and pay money most times. This kind of kidnappers, when they take you, they put you somewhere else and they can refer you to negotiate so that they can set you free and go for another business. Most times, our people are reluctant to delay or endure the inconvenience or the hardship and then they quickly negotiate and if we can discourage this kind of kidnappings, the only way forward is to insist that you will not pay.”Also speaking during the deliberation, Senator Dino Melaye said firing squad should be adopted for any suspected kidnapper that is found guilty.