Lagos assembly okays death penalty for kidnappers
The Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday passed a bill aimed at checking the spate of kidnapping in the state into law, with stiffer penalties including death sentence for offenders.
The passage, after the third reading was sequel to the adoption of a report presented by the Chairman of the House Committee on Judiciary, Petitions, Human Rights, Mrs. Adefunmilayo Tejuosho, and Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC).
Sponsored by the Speaker, Mr. Mudashiru Obasa, it prescribes death sentence for kidnappers whose victims die in their custody and life sentence for kidnappers whose victims do not die in the hands of their abductors.
Obasa directed the Acting Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni, to forward a clean copy of the bill to governor Akinwunmi Ambode for assent.
The bill states that any person who kidnaps, abducts, detains, captures or takes another person by any means or trick with intent to demand ransom or do anything against his/her will, commits an offence.
It also stipulates life imprisonment for anyone who makes an attempt to kidnap another person.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the speaker, who read the 20 sections of the bill one after the other for members’ approval, conducted a voice vote before its passage.
Lagos State had recorded recurrent cases of kidnappings, with the incident affecting students in two schools in 2016.
Kidnappers also abducted a traditional ruler, the Oniba of Iba, Yishau Goriola Oseni, in July. His release was later secured and several persons are on trial over the kidnap.
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