Senate goes tough on kidnappers, prescribes life imprisonment for kidnappers

The Nigerian Senate has tightened legislation on kidnappers in the country. The senate on Tuesday passed for second reading a bill for punitive measures for kidnapping, prescribing life imprisonment for anyone found guilty of kidnapping.

The bill titled: Abduction, Wrongful Restraint And Confinement Bill 2021, further prescribes a jail term of 30 years for recipients of Proceeds of acts of kidnapping.

The sponsor of the bill, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, representing Oyelaja Ogun Central, highlighted that the bill seeks to proffer stricter and stringent punishment for kidnapping, towards taming the menace, strengthening law enforcement and judicial sanctions.

Senator Ibikunle, former Ogu n State governor, noted that the highest term of imprisonment prescribed for kidnapping in the Criminal and penal Code Acts is 10 years.

He argued that the light punishment has not effected any deterrent but rather increase kidnappings in the country.